(Madison) Today a coalition of conservation and environmental groups announced their plans to take action to protect Black Earth Creek from manure run-off from a large livestock operation located in the Town of Cross Plains in Dane County. Wisconsin’s Environmental Decade, The River Alliance of Wisconsin and Wisconsin Council of Trout Unlimited filed a notice of intent (NOI) to take action under the federal Clean Water Act.
"Today we are asking the DNR and EPA to take action to protect Black
Earth Creek from animal waste pollution," said Pam Porter, Wisconsin’s
Environmental Decade. "Although most farmers within the Black Earth Creek
have gone to heroic measures to protect water quality, that progress is
now threatened by one critical site. We are taking steps today to
make sure Black Earth Creek is protected. If all the manure from
this one site is allowed to run uncontrolled into the Creek, it would be
equal to the raw sewage of a village of 5000 people dumping into Black
Earth Creek."
Black Earth Creek is a premiere trout stream that is nationally recognized for its ecological, scenic, cultural and recreational value. In 1985 it was selected as a Priority Watershed Project and since that time, more than $2 million state, federal and local dollars have been invested to improve water quality. In 1989 Black Earth Creek was named one of America’s 100 Best Trout Streams by Trout magazine.
"Cows and trout streams can co-exist when appropriate farming practices are in place. But this premiere trout stream is in peril and the DNR is not doing enough to protect it. If manure continues to run unchecked into Black Earth Creek it could spell disaster for the stream," said Sara Johnson, Executive Director of The River Alliance. "A huge public investment of both tax-payer dollars, and sweat equity from local farmers and conservationists, has helped make Black Earth Creek one of the nation’s top trout streams. We’re calling on the DNR and EPA to take the steps necessary to protect this rare and precious spring creek, and to protect this huge public investment."
"Trout fishers have worked with local farmers, and donated thousands of dollars and thousands of hours for stream improvement and preservation projects on Black Earth Creek," said Greg Vodak, a representative of the Wisconsin Council of Trout Unlimited. "We are proud of the coalition of farmers and conservationists who have worked together to make the restoration one of the nation’s biggest success stories and to help shape a healthier future for the Creek."
A recent review of DNR records show a history of manure management problems with Wagner dairy operations in the County.
Under the Federal Clean Water Act, citizens may file a Notice of Intent (NOI) stating that they intend to ask the federal court to require compliance with federal law. The coalition filed the NOI with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources today with the hope that these agencies will take action immediately to resolve this problem. The federal and state agencies have 60 days to cure the problem before citizens may commence an action in federal court to seek an order that the federal law be complied with.