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February 22, 2005
Hog farm accused of manure, groundwater lapses
A Kiowa County hog farm dumped dead pigs in pits, failed to report manure spills and may have fouled groundwater, according to state health department inspectors. Heritage Farms LLC could be fined $10,000 per day for 14 different types of permit violations discovered in the spring of 2004. The allegations were outlined in an order issued last month by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. The investigation represents one of the biggest enforcement cases since voters overwhelmingly approved tough hog-farm regulations in 1998, state officials said. Howard Roitman, director of state environmental programs, cautioned that company officials would still have a chance to provide an explanation. "But it is a pretty comprehensive set of alleged violations," Roitman said. The state ordered Heritage Farms, which is owned by Hormel, to immediately stop dumping dead pigs in pits, investigate past spills and leaks, examine groundwater for pollution and bring the facility into compliance with permit requirements. State officials also warned that an ongoing investigation might result in additional allegations. Dave Martin, general manager of the hog farm near Eads, said the company would wait to comment until it met with state investigators. Among other findings, state inspectors said they found tears in hog lagoon liners designed to keep manure from leaking into the ground, and erosion channels indicating manure lagoons had overflowed. Additionally, they found that pollution control plans were inadequate. Investigators also cited the farm for failing to monitor potential groundwater pollution, and spraying hog manure on fields faster than crops could use it, in violation of state law. The Heritage Farms facility is operated by Mountain Prairie LLC. In November, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration proposed almost $300,000 in fines against both companies for more than 70 worker-health safety violations at a hog farm near Las Animas that they own and operate. Among them was an allegation that workers were exposed to dangerous levels of hydrogen sulfide. The toxic gas is produced by the decomposition of hog waste. Workers were exposed when they were ordered to drag dead pigs from a barn. One Iowa man who claims he was fired by the companies for alerting authorities to the Las Animas problems lived at the Eads facility. He said he witnessed many of the incidents outlined in the state investigation. "We have dead pigs buried within 6 feet of the water table and have had major spills on areas that are off-limits for waste because of the city wells nearby," said Reg Morton, a 20-year veteran of hog farms. Vance Brown, water department director for the nearby town of Eads, said the town had heard of the investigation but had not been provided information on the specific allegations. But Brown added that quarterly sampling of the town's municipal wells has not shown any increase in pollution. Staff writer Theo Stein can be reached at 303- 820-1657 or tstein@denverpost.com .
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