County supervisors are frustrated by the state's confinement operation rules, but cannot agree on approach to take

Winneshiek County Supervisor John Beard

Winneshiek County supervisors on Monday morning were unable to agree on what approach to take to the Iowa Environmental Protection Commission's approval of a construction permit for Goldbrook LLC to operate a 7,499 hog confinement operation four miles west of Ridgeway.

Two county residents who live near the facility--Conie Hanson and Jerry Rinken--told supervisors they had spoken with Iowa DNR Director Chuck Gipp, who had told them the DNR would appeal the EPC's ruling--if they could find a legal reason to deny the permit.

But county supervisors have heard that statement before.  Supervisor Dean Thompson appeared before the EPC in November of 2013 to personally present the county board's reasons for opposing a permit for expansion of Millenium Ag.  Thompson says EPC officials listened--but didn't ask any questions, then voted unanimously in support of Millenium Ag.  "I've seen the elephant (In the room), and it doesn't look good," Thomspon told Hanson and Rinken.

Supervisor John Beard--a former state legislator--was more willing to fight.  "Even if the result is predictable, we have to stand up," he told the county board.  But supervisors John Logsdon said "we're dealing with what is...until the law is changed."

The 45-minute discussion ended with State Representative Darrel Branhagen, who was attending the meeting, promising to work with Beard on ways to get the state legislature to make changes in the hog confinement rules.