Oct. 23, 2018
Media Contact: Gail Philbin, Sierra Club Michigan Director, 616-805-3063, gail.philbin@sierraclub.org
Lansing--Prairie View Dairy LLC, a concentrated
animal feeding operation (CAFO) in Prairieville
Township, is seeking a change in its state Department of Environmental
Quality (DEQ) permit to reflect an expansion of its animal herd by 900 animals
(40%) to a total of 3,150 cows. The
increase means the operation will generate 27,610,432 gallons of waste per year, an annual increase of
5,402,597 gallons in a lake-filled region of the state already saturated with
CAFOs and animal waste.
Concerned
area residents have the opportunity to request a Public Hearing by November 1 to
learn more about Prairie View’s request and the dairy factory’s handling of animal
waste as well as submit comments about the proposal by emailing Megan McMahon
at the Michigan DEQ, mcmahonm1@michigan.gov. Submitting comments and having a public
hearing are the only ways local residents can get their voices heard about the
dairy expansion. Deadline for a hearing request and comments is November 1.
Animal
waste from some of the nearly 300 CAFOs in Michigan frequently makes its way
into our waterways, leading to a host of environmental and health problems. In
the case of Prairie View, a significant
spill in 2015 ran into West Gilkey Lake and led to the DEQ issuing a Consent Order and fining Prairie View Dairy
CAFO.
Manure feeds the algae blooms that
plague our inland waters and was a key factor in the growth of the toxic algae
that poisoned drinking water for Toledo and southern Michigan in 2014. Water and
soil pollution can occur at any point in a dairy operation, including from
over-application of waste to fields of manure slurry containing untreated
feces, urine, disease-causing bacteria, anti-biotics, and hazardous chemicals
such as ammonia and methane.
Sierra
Club has been at the forefront of battling CAFO pollution in Michigan for
nearly three decades. To learn more, visit https://www.sierraclub.org/mic
For questions about submitting public comments, email gail.philbin@sierraclub.org
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