Fort Dodge Messenger, IA
11-01-06
Twin Lakes residents want local control
By OBAID KHAWAJA, Messenger staff writer
TWIN LAKES — For members of the Twin Lakes Restoration Association, who
have until Nov. 9 to request a hearing before the Environmental Protection
Commission, maintaining local control is a long-term goal they hope to achieve
with the help of Iowa legislators.
Many group members have voiced disapproval of the Iowa Department of
Natural Resources’ Master Matrix scoring system, which they see as the sole
hurdle for animal confinement operations. Dave Gidel, a member of the TLRA,
said the group wants control over animal confinement operations that are
proposed for the area in the future. Newer operations, he argued, have driven
away potential residents and farm families off land they have owned for
generations.
‘‘I would have loved for my son to come back, but there’s no way,’’ he said. ‘‘No
one should be deprived of the quality of life, of their property ... (or) be driven off
their land by someone else’s desire to make more money.’’
But Kent Mowrer, site development manager for Prestage Farms of Iowa LLC,
said that Iowa State University studies of wind patterns around the state show
there is not much impact when residences are a mile from the operation,
especially if they are located east or west of the operation.
‘‘From our work with Iowa State University ... we feel there isn’t that much of an
impact,’’ he said.
He added that the facility developers had exceeded the DNR’s requirements by
placing the operation 2,500 feet from the other two hog operations in the area
and about three miles from the south lake.
‘‘The Matrix system is based on science and research. ... It’s not just based on
someone’s opinion,’’ Mowrer said. ‘‘Especially in this case, we’ve gone beyond
DNR regulations.’’
The TLRA is a 15-member group that was founded in the 1950s to improve the
Twin Lakes and helped restart dredging, which had been discontinued because
of World War II.
The association represents about 350 homes in the Twin Lakes community. The
area is a popular holiday location for campers, and many properties are used as
holiday homes. The recreational areas include two lakes, a state park and the
Twin Lakes Bible Camp.
Since the proposed facility could be the third operation in the area, residents also
fear such operations will saturate the area.
Tim Sinek, a board member of the TLRA, said this was a new issue because
there’s been an increase in such operations and they tend to be located in the
same general area.
‘‘This isn’t farm against town,’’ he said. ‘‘My concern is: Why are they coming to
Iowa?’’
Prestage Farms of Iowa LLC is owned by the Prestage family of Clinton, N.C.,
who have had a presence in Iowa since 2004. They currently own about 25
facilities throughout the state.
Sinek said that current legislation had not provided communities with adequate
protection against such agricultural operations.
‘‘It’s just too weak. I don’t think it can ever go well unless we have legislation
protecting this,’’ he said.
Contact Obaid Khawaja at (515) 573-2141 or obaid@messengernews.net