The D-N-R held a hearing on new permit fees for hog confinements…and nobody came. Legislation approved last spring lets the agency charge 250-dollars to apply for a construction permit, another 250-dollars to apply for a manure-management plan. Acting supervisor of animal confinement operations Reza Khosravi says it will affect many farms.He explains if you have over a thousand “animal units” you’ll have to pay both fees for a total of 500 dollars. Khosravi says smaller operations have to pay 250 dollars for the manure management plan, but don’t need the construction permit. With money from the new fees, Khosravi says the DNR can hire a dozen more inspectors to review and enforce the plans. He says it will help take care of the environment, to see that manure is applied correctly and based on the plans the farmers have submitted. Khosravi says the new staffers will be specially trained. They’re mainly, environmental specialists who’ll work one or two to each DNR field office around the state. Tuesday’s hearing was the final step in confirming the new fee for producers. It actually went into effect when the environmental protection commission approved it, but the public hearing was the final step in approving the fee. He says it’s assumed there is no opposition or changes preferred since the public seems to have accepted the fee rule by not showing up for the hearing.
