Madigan
CHICAGO (Legal Newsline) - Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan announced the filing of two separate consent orders on Thursday against two cattlemen to resolve allegations of water and air pollution.
Henry Dare and Phil Dare run a cattle operation located near Canton, Illinois, in Fulton County. The consent orders require the father and son team to adhere to a detailed plan that will prevent offensive odors that have caused a number of local residents to lodge complaints with Madigan's office.
Henry Dare allegedly failed to comply with terms of a previous consent order in 2002 and a 2000 order to address alleged air and water pollution at the facility.
"Those whose livelihood depends on raising livestock must conduct their businesses in a safe and environmentally sound manner," Madigan said.
The Dare Farms' feeder cattle operation is approximately two miles north of Canton. Various outdoor lots, confinement buildings and barns are used at the operation. Waste from the cattle is stored in above-ground storage tanks, while feedlot runoff flows into a sump and livestock waste is applied to the nearby land.
The consent order requires the Dares to install and maintain an appropriate cover on the above ground manure storage tank to prevent offense odor emissions, and assures the proper disposal of dead animals. The order also limits the number of cattle to a maximum of 1,000 and ensures that manure applications to cropland are performed in a way that does not lead to offensive odor conditions or contaminated runoff during heavy precipitation events.