Here & Now

Town Of Lincoln Chair Explains Liquid Manure Irrigation Ban

ZAC SCHULTZ:

A NUMBER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS HAVE BANNED THE USE OF LIQUID MANURE IRRIGATION, INCLUDING THE TOWN OF LINCOLN IN KEWAUNEE COUNTY. JOINING US NOW TO TALK ABOUT THEIR BAN IS TOWN OF LINCOLN CHAIR, CORY COCHART. WHY DID THE TOWN OF LINCOLN BAN THE USE OF LIQUID MANURE IRRIGATION?

CORY COCHART:

BASICALLY TO PROTECT OUR CITIZENS FROM THE HEALTH RISK AND BASICALLY DETERMINED THAT IT’S A NUISANCE BASED ON A NUMBER OF REASONS.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

A RESEARCHER WITH THE WORK GROUP SAYS THAT THERE ARE AIRBORNE PATHOGENS IN LIQUID MANURE, BUT THAT THEY FALL TO THE LEVEL OF THE SAFETY OF DRINKING WATER WHEN YOU MOVE 750 TO 1,000 FEET AWAY FROM THE SETBACK OF THE IRRIGATION SYSTEM. SO WHY NOT SIMPLY ENFORCE A SETBACK INSTEAD OF BANNING IT ALTOGETHER?

CORY COCHART:

I GUESS PERSONALLY I DON’T FEEL THAT EVEN WITH A SETBACK, GIVEN THE LAYOUT OF THE TOWN, THAT IT IS A VERY GOOD FIT OVERALL. THERE MAY BE A CERTAIN AREA WHERE IT WOULD WORK, BUT I DO NOT BELIEVE IT WOULD WORK THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE TOWN. SO IF YOU WOULD HAPPEN TO PERMIT ONE TO DO IT, I DON’T KNOW HOW YOU WOULD GET AWAY WITH THEN NOT ALLOWING SOMEONE ELSE TO DO IT. OVERALL I JUST THINK THIS IS THE BEST FOR THE TOWN.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

WOULD YOU EXPECT THAT THE TOWNSHIP WILL REVISIT THIS BAN AFTER SEEING THE LATEST REPORT COME OUT FROM THE WORK GROUP?

CORY COCHART:

I DON’T BELIEVE SO. I DON’T BELIEVE IT WAS EXTENSIVE OF ENOUGH A STUDY TO TOTALLY LOOK INTO THE HEALTH ASPECT OF IT AND LONG-TERM EFFECTS THAT IT WOULD HAVE AND THINGS LIKE THAT. I JUST THINK THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A LOT MORE DONE INTO THE — ESPECIALLY LIKE RESPIRATORY AND THINGS LIKE THAT, WHAT IT’S GOING TO DO TO THE AIR QUALITY.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

NOW, YOU HAVE A NUMBER OF CAFOS, CONCENTRATED ANIMAL FEEDING OPERATIONS, IN YOUR TOWNSHIP. HAVE THEY EXPRESSED CONCERN? WOULD THEY LIKE TO SEE THIS OVERTURNED

OR ARE THE PEOPLE THAT RUN THOSE OPERATIONS SUPPORTING THE TOWNSHIP’S DECISION?

CORY COCHART:

WHEN WE FIRST PASSED THE RESOLUTION, FIRST AS A RESOLUTION, THEN LATER ON AS AN ORDINANCE, WE WERE BASICALLY THREATENED WITH LEGAL ACTION BY TWO OF THEM AND THE DAIRY BUSINESS ASSOCIATION. AND BASICALLY WE DIDN’T BACK DOWN AND IN THE END THEY DECIDED THAT IT PROBABLY WASN’T A GOOD IDEA, I GUESS, AND DIDN’T PURSUE LEGAL ACTION.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

CURRENTLY THERE ARE FOUR TOWNSHIPS IN KEWAUNEE COUNTY THAT HAVE BANNED THIS PRACTICE. DO YOU WORRY ABOUT THE COUNTY OR THE STATE COMING IN AND TAKING AWAY YOUR ABILITY TO CONTROL THIS ZONING ISSUE?

CORY COCHART:

YES AND I GUESS I WORRY ABOUT THAT, BUT I GUESS I’M WILLING TO I GUESS STAND UP TO THEM, ‘CAUSE I DON’T BELIEVE THE RESIDENTS OF THE COUNTY SHOULD BE FORCED INTO SOMETHING LIKE THIS THAT COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE LONG-TERM EFFECTS ON THEIR HEALTH.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

ALL RIGHT. CORY COCHART, TOWN OF LINCOLN CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.