The Iowa Department of Natural Resources will hold meetings for the public to express opinions about the current Iowa Administrative Code Chapter 65 concerning animal feeding operations. County environmental health coordinator Chuck Wenthold briefed the supervisors at their Jan. 11 meeting.
Wenthold stressed this meeting is not about the master matrix, an evaluation scoring procedure for confined animal feeding operations (CAFO.) The master matrix has come under fire in recent years from many sides as being outdated. “Only the Iowa legislature can change the master matrix,” Wenthold said.
Wenthold gave the board information from the DNR and said more information is available at the DNR animal feeding operations web page: www.iowadnr.gov/afo/rules. Questions can be emailed to afo@dnr.iowa.gov.
The DNR will hold an in-person public hearing Wednesday, Feb. 14, from 1:30 to 3:30 pm. at the Wallace State Office Building. There will also be a virtual meeting Monday, Feb. 19, from 1:30 to 3:30 pm. Requests for a link to this meeting can be sent to afo@dnr.iowa.gov. Requests for the link must be received by Feb. 19 at 9 am. ~by Janice Harbaugh for GreeneCountyNewsOnline
