The state of Wisconsin has reached a settlement agreement with Wild Rose Dairy, K&D Manure Handling and Kevin Hintz that would require them to pay $242,000 in a case connected to pollution in Vernon and La Crosse counties.
Attorney General Josh Kaul announced the agreement Monday. It was approved in La Crosse County Circuit Court April 19 and Vernon County Circuit Court April 21.
“Spills like these harm Wisconsin’s waterways and fish that swim in them,” said Kaul. “Those who contaminate our clean water must be held accountable.”
The settlement resolves violations connected to three manure spills that harmed high-quality trout streams in Otter Creek in Vernon County and Bostwick Creek in La Crosse County. It includes $126,000 in total to be paid to the Department of Natural Resources for the trout killed by the manure spills and lost fishing.
Wild Rose Dairy operates a concentrated animal feeding operation near La Farge. K & D Manure Handling is a custom manure applicator, which Hintz owns and operates, out of Sparta. K & D Manure Handling land spreads manure for Wild Rose Dairy, and smaller dairy farms.
The settlement comes from allegations that Wild Rose Dairy and K&D Manure Handling spilled manure in Otter Creek in October 2017 and again in May 2019. The dairy failed to report the 2017 spill in a timely manner and did not renew its Wisconsin Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit for five years.
K&D and Hintz are also alleged to have caused a manure spill in Bostwick Creek in June 2019, didn’t report it to the DNR and did not take any action to contain or clean up the spill.
The state alleged that Hintz told DNR conservation wardens that he knew manure had reached a tributary to Bostwick Creek, and that he did not report the manure spill to DNR because he hoped nothing would come of it. DNR was notified of the fish kill in Bostwick Creek by an anonymous public tip.
The agreement requires Wild Rose Dairy to pay $57,000 in forfeitures, surcharges, court costs, and attorney fees. The agreement requires K & D Manure Handling and Mr. Hintz to pay $185,000 in total in forfeitures, surcharges, court costs, DNR costs, and attorney fees. This includes $126,000 for the fish killed by the three manure spills.
Source: news8000.com
