By Wally Kennedy
wkennedy@joplinglobe.com
EAGLE ROCK, Mo. — An appeal hearing on the operating permit for the Ozbun chicken CAFO near Roaring River State Park has been continued, according the Missouri Administrative Hearing Commission.
The hearing on the concentrated animal feeding operation was to start on Monday but it is now set for the week of June 16-20 in the Truman Building at Jefferson City.
The Ozbun CAFO would house up to 65,600 pullets for George’s Processing, a poultry plant near Cassville. It was granted an operating permit on Aug. 22 by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.
The CAFO is within a mile or so of the river and the state park, a popular tourist destination in Barry County.
Local residents, supported by trout fishermen, environmentalists and tourism groups around the state, have formed the Roaring River Park Alliance to oppose the CAFO and the possible construction of other CAFOS near the state park. A bill by state Rep. Jeff Harris, D-Columbia, proposes a 5-mile CAFO buffer around Missouri’s state park and historic sites.
Similar controversies have erupted with CAFOs proposed near other state property, such as the Arrow Rock and Battle of Athens state historic sites.
Opponents have argued the CAFO will damage water quality in the spring and river and be a drain on tourism.
State regulators say the waste-management system for the Ozbun CAFO has been designed and permitted as a no-discharge operation, which means wastes are contained and stored until proper land application can take place.
Jim Riedel, a member of the Roaring River Park Alliance, said the group recently raised several hundred dollars to help pay legal fees associated with the appeal of the permit. The group has hired attorney John Price, of Springfield, to represent them. The alliance raised money during the opening weekend of trout season at Roaring River State Park on March 1-2.
Michelle and Rodney Ozbun, owners of the CAFO, have retained Michael Schmid, an associate in the firm of Schreimann, Rackers, Francka & Blunt in Jefferson City, to represent them.
Commission
The Missouri Administrative Hearing Commission, part of the executive branch of state government, is a neutral administrative tribunal that functions as a court-like or quasi-judicial entity to resolve conflicts involving permits and other contested issues in Missouri.
Local News
<img src="http://www.joplinglobeonline.com/images/zope/extra.gif" border="0">Hearing for CAFO near Roaring River rescheduled for June<font color="#ff0000"> w/ Roaring River opening day slide show </font>
- Local News
-
-
Mother of Okla. homicide victim opposes open carry
The mother of an Oklahoma homicide victim and a self-described gun rights advocate say they oppose a new state law that allows the open carry of firearms.
-
Springfield man posed as Joplin tornado victim
A federal judge today sentenced a Springfield man to almost six years in prison for writing more than $160,000 worth of bad checks to numerous businesses while falsely posing as a Joplin tornado victim.
-
Children get chance to “rebuild Joplin” using Lego bricks
Children who attend the Third Thursday event in downtown Joplin on Thursday, May 17, can help “rebuild Joplin” with Lego bricks.
-
Eight indicted for disaster relief fraud
The U.S. attorney’s office in Springfield today announced a federal grand jury’s indictment of eight people for fraudulently obtaining federal disaster relief benefits following the tornado in Joplin a year ago.
-
Mo. House moves to stop Jayhawks license plate
Missouri license plates won’t be sporting Kansas Jayhawks logos anytime soon if the Missouri House has its way.
-
5 dead, tortured dogs found in St. Louis house
Stray Rescue of St. Louis is offering a $5,000 reward for information in the torture deaths of five dogs.
-
Oklahoma student finds fossil for school project
Talk about show and tell. Fifth grade students at Midway Elementary School in Council Hill were asked to bring in a rock they found outside.
-
Ameren warns of utility scam
The St. Louis-based utility company Ameren is urging customers to watch out for a scam aimed at illegally obtaining Social Security numbers.
-
‘Spirit tree’ new landmark in tornado zone
Where East 20th Street intersects the Kansas City Southern Railway tracks, in an area that’s still mostly empty from the storm, stands a brightly painted tree — a colorful new landmark for the city.
-
MSSU board to consider $72.4 million balanced budget
The Missouri Southern State University Board of Governors will consider a balanced, $72.4 million budget for the 2012-13 school year. For the fifth consecutive year, the budget includes no across-the-board salary increases for faculty or staff members.
- More Local News Headlines
-
Mother of Okla. homicide victim opposes open carry
