Mr. Luzum recently wrote that hog producers exploit us
because of weak laws. Unfortunately, the laws of the regulatory system aren’t broken;
they are “fixed.” The regulatory system is designed to set the approval terms for
Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs).
A high enough matrix score means CAFO approval.
Since Iowa State law currently preempts any local action on
CAFOs, citizen safety, health or other concerns don’t even enter into the DNR regulatory
discussion. Citizens and elected officials can only attend hearings, write
letters, sign petitions, and protest decisions and those actions have little or
no impact. William Penn said, “Let the people think they govern, and they will
be governed.”
However, in over 200 communities nationwide, the people are enumerating
their rights and enacting rights-based laws. By substantiating their inherent right
to clean water, air, and soil citizens have exercised local control and stopped
undesired corporate actions. To protect our
future we’ll need such community rights laws here.
Steve Luse
(Published in the Decorah Journal)
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