Northwest Iowa — The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has settled several environmental violations recently.
At Triple G Feedlot, Inc and G&G Farms of Inwood, the DNR found effluent basins were discharging effluent that was reaching a tributary of the Big Sioux River. The DNR order says they need to operate feedlots in compliance with regulations, and do one of the following: cease all discharges and develop a plan of action to prevent future discharges or submit an NPDES permit application, and pay a $6,000 administrative penalty.
At Dave Van Beek’s property near Inwood, the DNR says effluent was leaving the feedlot’s feeding area, flowing to the solids settling area, then releasing from that area, and was flowing around a basin, and eventually to a tributary of Dry Run Creek. The DNR’s order says Van Beek needs to operate feedlots in compliance with all laws and regulations, do one of the following: submit an NPDES permit application or submit and implement plans for interim and permanent measures to eliminate discharges to a water, and pay a $5,000 administrative penalty.
At the Farmers Co-Operative Society location in Boyden, the DNR says a truck with mineral oil in it for dust suppression had a valve on it left in the open position, and it leaked mineral oil, which eventually flowed to an unnamed tributary of the West Fork Floyd River. The DNR order says FCS needs to develop a standard operating procedure to assure the storage of mineral oil and pay a $5,000 administrative penalty.
At Jansma Cattle Company near Rock Rapids, the DNR says one of their solids settling basins was not draining effluent to an effluent basin and the manure was not fully contained in the basins. On another occasion, effluent was releasing from another basin and had the potential to discharge to a tributary of the Rock River. The DNR order says Jansma needs to operate the feedlot in compliance with laws and regulations, cease all discharges and develop a plan of action to prevent all future discharges, and pay a $5,000 administrative penalty.
Pro Pumping Ag Services of Sioux Center was working for Van Voorst Dairy when, a valve on their equipment malfunctioned, causing a release to an unnamed tributary of Six Mile Creek, according to the DNR. Their order says that Pro Pumping needs to ensure all manure is properly handled and land applied, develop and implement a standard operating procedure for inspection and testing of manure handling equipment, and pay a $2,500 administrative penalty.
And at Bar K Cattle near Sioux Center, an April ice jam plugged a tile inlet that assisted draining water from the fields near a feedlot, which caused fresh water from the fields to enter the feedlot drainage systems and caused effluent to flow into Six Mile Creek. The DNR order says they must operate feedlot in compliance with laws and regulations, cease all discharges and develop and submit a plan of action to prevent all future discharges, and pay a $5,000 administrative penalty.
