A Portage County dairy operation is crying foul after it was ordered by the Department of Natural Resources to keep track of its wastewater discharge and monitor area wells for groundwater nitrates. Gordondale Farms submitted a petition last month to contest the order, which was part of the agency's conditions for renewing the farm's wastewater permit.
According to the Stevens Point Journal, the DNR must now reach out to the farm and determine whether a settlement can be reached. If the two sides fail to come to an agreement, the issue will go before a public hearing.
Meanwhile, the requirement for Gordondale Farms to submit an off-site groundwater monitoring plan is on hold, the newspaper reported.
The CAFO, which milks over 2,000 cows, is located near the village of Nelsonville. Tests conducted by the county health department in 2018 showed that over half of the private wells in the area showed high levels of nitrate contamination.
Categories: Wisconsin, Business