Wis. town barred from beefing up farm water rules
Politics
The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that a rural town lacks
the authority to impose tougher water-quality standards on a livestock
farm than the state requires.
Magnolia, a community about 30 miles south of Madison, granted Larson
Acres Inc. a permit in 2007 when it wanted to expand, but included a
number of conditions because residents blamed it for polluting their
water supply. The farm initially had 1,000 cows and now has about
2,900.
Among the conditions, the farm had to allow the town to conduct
monthly water quality tests on its land, and it had to follow certain
crop-rotation strategies to reduce nitrate buildup.
The farm sued, arguing that pollution-control measures are laid out by
the state and can't be modified by individual towns.
The state Supreme Court agreed, ruling that the town exceeded its
authority by imposing additional measures.
The case has been watched by rural Midwest communities struggling to
deal with the expansion of so-called factory farms. States throughout
the farm belt have seen big farms get bigger as the agriculture
industry continues to consolidate.
Similar cases have been filed in six other Midwestern states, but
Wisconsin's is believed to be the first to reach a state supreme
court.
Related listings
-
Texas Voter ID Law to be Tested in a Federal Court
Politics 07/09/2012The fate of Texas' controversial new voter ID law - which requires voters to show photo identification at the polls - is set to be decided this week in a federal court in Washington. The state, which claims the law will prevent voter fraud, is seekin...
-
NY court: Gay marriage caucus didn't break rules
Politics 07/06/2012A state appeals court rejected a challenge to New York's year-old same-sex marriage law Friday, ruling closed-door negotiations among senators and gay marriage supporters including Gov. Andrew Cuomo did not violate any laws.The Appellate Division of ...
-
Lawyer: Emanuel broke Chicago mayor residency rule
Politics 11/29/2010As he travels about the city, assuring Chicagoans that he is one of them, Rahm Emanuel must be asking himself why he just didn't leave his house vacant when he went off to work in the White House. Or rent it to a buddy or a relative. That's because a...
New Rochelle, New York Personal Injury Lawyers
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, contact Kommer, Bave & Ollman, LLP, in New Rochelle, New York, immediately. We can answer all your questions and work with you to determine if you have the grounds for a personal injury lawsuit. The attorneys at our firm are determined to resolve even the most difficult of cases. We will work closely with you to determine the best course of action to get your claim or case resolved in the most efficient way possible. We will fight for your right to compensation! No one should have to suffer a financial burden from the result of another person’s carelessness. The attorneys at Kommer, Bave & Ollman, LLP will aggressively fight to ensure that justice is served on your behalf.