An eastern Wisconsin dairy farm has been ordered to pay $144,000 in fines and construct additional runoff controls to resolve violations of its wastewater permit. The Wisconsin Department of Justice said the decision was made as part of a settlement with Rolling Hills Dairy Farm of Luxemburg, which has since been approved by the Kewaunee County Circuit Court.
The agency claims the concentrated animal feeding operation unlawfully discharged contaminated runoff from its feed storage area at the main dairy to an unnamed tributary to the East Twin River on at least two occasions. These discharges occurred after Department of Natural Resources staff warned the farm's owners that discharges likely were occurring from the CAFO in violation of the law and that the dairy needed to take immediate action to stop this.
"Those who unlawfully pollute our waters must be held accountable," said Attorney General Josh Kaul. "In this case, the work of DNR and DOJ to enforce our environmental laws has resulted in a significant financial penalty and greater protection against runoff into the East Twin River in Kewaunee County."
The state also alleged Rolling Hills Dairy unlawfully denied DNR staff access to inspect the CAFO to determine where the contaminated runoff was coming from; failed to construct runoff controls required by its Wisconsin Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit at its satellite facility; stored feed in an unapproved location; and land spread manure before a rain storm, which caused the manure to run off the field that it was applied to.
Categories: Wisconsin, General, Livestock, Dairy Cattle