Kankakee Times

County of Iroquois issued the following announcement on Aug. 20.

Public Notice of Meeting Regarding the Proposed Construction of a Livestock Management Facility by Parks Livestock.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN by the Illinois Department of Agriculture (Department), pursuant to the Livestock Management Facilities Act (Act) (510 ILCS 77/1 et seq.), that a public informational meeting has been scheduled for Thursday, September 5, 2019 and is to be held at the at the County Administration Center/County Board Room, 1001 East Grant Street, Watseka, IL commencing at 5:30 p.m. This meeting is being held by the Illinois Department of Agriculture at the request of the Iroquois County Board. The purpose of the meeting is to afford members of the general public an opportunity to ask questions and present oral or written testimony concerning the proposed construction of a 1,800 animal unit capacity swine facility from Parks E5 and to be owned and operated by Parks Livestock, Stockland, IL. The facility is proposed to be located approximately 1.75 miles east of Stockland, IL. Specifically, the Department will receive evidence by testimony or otherwise on the following subjects:

(1) Whether registration and livestock waste management plan certification requirements, if required, are met by the notice of intent to construct.(2) Whether the design, location, or proposed operation will protect the environment by being consistent with this Act.

(3) Whether the location minimizes any incompatibility with the surrounding areas character by being located in any area zoned for agriculture where the county has zoning or where the county is not zoned, the setback requirements established by this Act are complied with.

(4) Whether the facility is located within a 100-year floodplain or an otherwise environmentally sensitive area (defined as an area of karst area or with aquifer material within 5 feet of the bottom of the livestock waste handling facility) and whether construction standards set forth in the notice of intent to construct are consistent with the goal of protecting the safety of the area.

(5) Whether the owner or operator has submitted plans for operation that minimize the likelihood of any environmental damage to the surrounding area from spills, runoff, and

leaching.

(6) Whether odor control plans are reasonable and incorporate reasonable or innovative odor reduction technologies given the current state of such technologies.

(7) Whether traffic patterns minimize the effect on existing traffic flows.

(8) Whether construction or modification of a new facility is consistent with existing community growth, tourism, recreation, or economic development or with specific projects involving community growth, tourism, recreation, or economic development that have been identified by government action for development or operation within one year through compliance with applicable zoning and setback requirements for populated areas as established by this Act.

Questions or comments relative to this public notice or the public informational meeting described herein may be directed to the Livestock Management Facilities Program, Illinois Department of Agriculture, P.O. Box 19281, Springfield, IL 62794-9281 or (217) 785-2427 (voice and TDD).

Original source can be found here.