Fayette County residents hot about proposed hog lot

Residents packed a town hall meeting in the Fayette County town of Westgate last night to learn about a seven-thousand-head hog lot that -may- be built nearby.Nick Anderson, a hog producer from Cedar Falls, wants to build the one-point-five million dollar facility on seven acres of land about a mile from Westgate. Anderson says it seemed like a logical place because it’s “well over a mile” from Westgate in a rural area far away from residences.Daryl Kuennen owns a business in Westgate and he’s concerned it’ll harm the town with its smell and is afraid it’ll harm the water quality.Fayette County Supervisor John Bunn says the Board of Supervisors first learned of the proposal three weeks ago when Anderson submitted a “manure management plan” to the county. Bunn says there’s little county officials can do to stop it.Robin Pruisner, animal feeding operations coordinator for the Department of Natural Resources, says the proposed facility falls within state regulations, and because of state law, citizens really have little recourse to block construction. Pruisner says the state received Anderson’s construction application August 30th. State regulators have 60 days to review the application before granting or denying the construction permit, that means state officials will make their decision by the end of October. A site survey will be conducted Friday. Pruisner says state officials will review the concerns aired last night, check the proposed hog operation’s plans and issue a response to the community.