Environment and Natural Resources
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 7, 2005
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Jeanne Goodman, 773-3351

Meyer Lamb Feeders Agrees to Construct Manure System or Remove Animals

PIERRE – Meyer Lamb Feeders, located in northwest Minnehaha County, has reached an agreement with the Office of Attorney General and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to either construct a state approved manure management system or remove all the animals by March 1, 2006, until the system is constructed.  In the meantime, Meyer Lamb Feeders has also agreed to remove animals from all or parts of eleven pens located closest to the drainage way that runs adjacent to the operation.

Meyer Lamb Feeders is an existing livestock feeding operation that feeds up to 7,500 head of sheep.  The federal threshold for being a regulated concentrated animal feeding operation is 10,000 head of sheep.  However, because previous complaint investigations found manure in the drainage, DENR had established deadlines for Meyer Lamb Feeders to come into compliance with the South Dakota General Water Pollution Control Permit for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations.  DENR even extended those deadlines at the request of Meyer Lamb Feeders, but ended up referring the case to the Office of Attorney General with a recommendation to file a complaint in circuit court when the manure management system was not constructed.

While preparing a complaint, common ground was found between Meyer Lamb Feeders and the state whereby both parties agree the surface and ground water need to be protected.  The manure management system previously approved by DENR for Meyer Lamb Feeders has special provisions to protect a shallow aquifer under the existing operation, to include both a 60-mil high density polyethylene plastic liner in the holding pond and a soil-bentontite slurry trench cutoff wall encircling the holding pond and sediment basin.  The purpose of the plastic liner and slurry trench cutoff wall is to isolate the water that is collected in the ponds from any surface and ground water.

With these extra safeguards, DENR is satisfied both the drainage way and the shallow aquifer will be protected.  To give state approval to proceed with construction and a certain outcome to the proposed litigation, DENR has issued a Notice of Violation and a settlement signed by both parties.

“Our intent in the settlement is to get an approved runoff and manure management system in place to protect both surface and ground waters,” said DENR Secretary Steve Pirner.  “If that does not happen by March 1, 2006, Meyer Lamb Feeders has agreed to remove all the animals from the feedlot, which effectively shuts it down, until the manure management system is constructed and has been inspected and permitted by DENR.”

In the settlement, Meyer Lamb Feeders also agrees to immediately close and remove animals from all or parts of eleven different pens closest to the drainage way, to do some interim soil grading, and to remove all visible manure from all pens on the property.  The state approval does not override or supercede any approvals that may be needed by Meyer Lamb Feeders from other federal or local government agencies.

To help owners and operators of livestock feeding operations understand the requirements of the general permit and other environmental aspects of livestock production, a number of training opportunities are provided every year by the SDSU Cooperative Extension Service and DENR.  For information on training opportunities, contact Jim Gerwing at 605-688-4772.  For information on the permitting of concentrated animal feeding operations, call DENR at 1-800-GET-DENR or visit their website at http://www.state.sd.us/denr/DES/Surfacewater/feedlot.htm.

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