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| Two Indiana dairies accused of spilling manure into waterways |
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| By MEGGIE I. FOSTER
Assistant Editor
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — This week, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) will announce results concerning an investigation of two large Dutch dairies accused of allowing manure to runoff in nearby waterways.
IDEM Commissioner Thomas Easterly issued a statement on Tuesday, April 10 saying he intended to “act swiftly to address the serious non-compliance issues at the livestock operations responsible for these emergency spills.”
De Groot Dairy in Huntington County is accused of spilling manure into a tributary of the Salamonie Reservoir and the Union-Go Dairy in Randolph County may be responsible for allowing manure to spill into nearly two miles of Sparrow Creek.
According to IDEM Public Information Officer Amy Hartsock, IDEM received complaints from area citizens that manure from the two dairies impacted the two waterways. The biggest indicator that manure had spilled into the waterways was “discoloration of the water.”
When the complaints were received an “immediate full compliance inspection” took place at the two dairies. The Union-Go Dairy is reported to have spilled manure the week of April 2 and the De Groot Dairy manure runoff compliant was reported Monday, April 9.
“After any kind of emergency, immediate response is conducted,” she said. “In our response, we review all materials, see what needs to be done and what action the facility needs to take to resolve the issue.”
Once the spill occurred, operators “worked to contain it” by either pumping out the affected water or daming the waterway until the way was c |
| 4/18/2007 |
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