Features Regional Regulations
Actions taken against feedlots in IA, KS, NE

May 24, 2010, Kansas
City, KS – EPA Region 7 has taken a series of civil enforcement actions against
six beef feedlot operations in Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska for violations of the
Clean Water Act.
May 24, 2010, Kansas
City, KS – EPA Region 7 has taken a series of civil enforcement actions against
six beef feedlot operations in Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska for violations of the
Clean Water Act.

Of the six enforcement
actions, two include penalties where CAFOs failed to comply with their National
Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits. The causes of the
violations were addressed in previously issued administrative compliance
orders. The two proposed penalty settlements with the CAFOs listed below are
each subject to a 40-day public comment period before they may be finalized.

Jewell County Feeders,
LLC, Mankato, KS, has agreed to pay a $10,800 civil penalty for NPDES permit
violations associated with improper stockpiling of manure. These violations
risked discharges of pollutants to Limestone Creek and its tributaries in
Jewell County, KS.

Platte Valley Feeders,
LLC, Kearney, NE, has agreed to pay a $20,000 civil penalty for NPDES permit violations
associated with land application of manure and waste water from its storage
lagoons at rates that exceeded nutrient management plan requirements. The
over-application of manure created a significant risk that pollutants would
reach the Wood River in Buffalo County, NE.

The remaining four
enforcement actions are administrative compliance orders issued to the
following large and medium CAFOs. Large CAFOs are cattle feedlots with greater
than 1,000 head of cattle, and medium CAFOs are feedlots with between 300 and
999 head of cattle that are required to apply for NPDES permits or cease
pollutant discharges. EPA has documented significant water quality problems
associated with medium CAFOs and is making enforcement at these CAFOs a
priority.

Sandhill Farm, Inc.,
Rock Valley, IA, must immediately reduce the number of cattle it confines below
1,000, apply for an NPDES permit, and complete wastewater controls at its
facility to end unauthorized discharges of pollutants into a tributary of the
Rock River in Sioux County, IA.

Kooima Custom Feed, Rock
Valley, IA, must apply for an NPDES permit and implement a series of wastewater
controls at its facilities to end unauthorized discharges of wastewater into a
tributary of the Rock River in Sioux County, IA.

Albert Rens, Ireton, IA,
must apply for an NPDES permit and complete wastewater controls to end
unauthorized discharges of wastewater into a tributary of the West Branch of
Floyd Creek in Sioux County, IA.

Darwin Rus, Rock Valley,
IA, must apply for an NPDES permit and complete wastewater controls to end
unauthorized discharges of wastewater into a tributary of the Rock River in
Sioux County, IA.