MONROE - A proposal to spend $74,000 for a county-wide water study next year was struck down in a deadlocked vote at the Land and Water Conservation Committee meeting Thursday.
Green County Supervisor Kristi Leonard, who moved the study to be included in the conservation department's 2017 budget, defended the need it, citing advanced technology that would be used in the study to catalog groundwater throughout the county.
"The technology is there," Leonard said.
But fellow Supervisor Jeff Williams said science from a study can be interpreted in a number of ways. He called it a means to calm down county residents alarmed about potential groundwater contamination from a proposed large-scale dairy.
"To me, it's a pacifier," Williams said.
The bid of $74,200 by TRC Environmental, a Madison engineering and environmental construction and consulting management firm, was selected in closed session. Two added weeks of fieldwork, which County Conservationist Todd Jenson said would provide a "better end-product," was the difference in two offers provided to the county. The other bid, made by Leggette, Brashears and Graham Inc., a professional groundwater and environmental engineering service also from Madison, was for $53,700.
Supervisor Erica Roth, who attended the meeting as an advocate for the study, said constituents have spoken to her in favor of the study.
"The majority of my constituents I've spoken to are in favor of the water study," Roth said. "They said, 'absolutely, that's worth it.' These are the people we're representing. I think if they're willing to pay ... then we should listen to them, regardless of what we might do personally or what we think is best. They want the peace of mind. They want the information there for future use."
Supervisors Oscar Olson, Ken Hodgson and Leonard voted for the study, while Keith Hobson, Russ Torkelson and Williams voted against. On a locked vote, the measure died.
The request for a water study began after large-scale dairy owner Todd Tuls proposed building a 5,800-cow dairy farm over 127 acres of land along Decatur-Sylvester Road and County FF in the Township of Sylvester. The plan raised concerns with area residents and others throughout the county about the impact on groundwater.
Now more than a year later, the plans for Pinnacle Dairy continue. A group of local citizens questioned whether the land could handle the proposed addition of a large quantity of manure and whether Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations, a facility in which cattle are kept on cement at all times and designated by the Department of Natural Resources as a farm with more than 1,000 animal units, would affect groundwater quality.
A study conducted by a science committee appointed by the Sylvester Town Board found that roughly 85 percent of Green County water is susceptible to contamination, while 75 percent of sections "demonstrate significant risk" for contamination.
"I do appreciate all of the time you've put into the water study," said Bethany Storm, who was part of the committee. "But as you can probably tell, I am disappointed that it failed today. As a scientist, I am not looking for a pacifier, I'm looking for more information to make good decisions."
Storm said part of the water study is to look at "the big picture" and access information is limited on a county-level. She added that when she has asked DNR officials, experts said they have no time to compile certain data because of their staff limitations. Storm used geographic information system information to find that a majority of the 68 soil types in York Township are unable to handle spreading. But without an access database, Storm said, there is no way to determine what the majority total is exactly.
Green County Supervisor Kristi Leonard, who moved the study to be included in the conservation department's 2017 budget, defended the need it, citing advanced technology that would be used in the study to catalog groundwater throughout the county.
"The technology is there," Leonard said.
But fellow Supervisor Jeff Williams said science from a study can be interpreted in a number of ways. He called it a means to calm down county residents alarmed about potential groundwater contamination from a proposed large-scale dairy.
"To me, it's a pacifier," Williams said.
The bid of $74,200 by TRC Environmental, a Madison engineering and environmental construction and consulting management firm, was selected in closed session. Two added weeks of fieldwork, which County Conservationist Todd Jenson said would provide a "better end-product," was the difference in two offers provided to the county. The other bid, made by Leggette, Brashears and Graham Inc., a professional groundwater and environmental engineering service also from Madison, was for $53,700.
Supervisor Erica Roth, who attended the meeting as an advocate for the study, said constituents have spoken to her in favor of the study.
"The majority of my constituents I've spoken to are in favor of the water study," Roth said. "They said, 'absolutely, that's worth it.' These are the people we're representing. I think if they're willing to pay ... then we should listen to them, regardless of what we might do personally or what we think is best. They want the peace of mind. They want the information there for future use."
Supervisors Oscar Olson, Ken Hodgson and Leonard voted for the study, while Keith Hobson, Russ Torkelson and Williams voted against. On a locked vote, the measure died.
The request for a water study began after large-scale dairy owner Todd Tuls proposed building a 5,800-cow dairy farm over 127 acres of land along Decatur-Sylvester Road and County FF in the Township of Sylvester. The plan raised concerns with area residents and others throughout the county about the impact on groundwater.
Now more than a year later, the plans for Pinnacle Dairy continue. A group of local citizens questioned whether the land could handle the proposed addition of a large quantity of manure and whether Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations, a facility in which cattle are kept on cement at all times and designated by the Department of Natural Resources as a farm with more than 1,000 animal units, would affect groundwater quality.
A study conducted by a science committee appointed by the Sylvester Town Board found that roughly 85 percent of Green County water is susceptible to contamination, while 75 percent of sections "demonstrate significant risk" for contamination.
"I do appreciate all of the time you've put into the water study," said Bethany Storm, who was part of the committee. "But as you can probably tell, I am disappointed that it failed today. As a scientist, I am not looking for a pacifier, I'm looking for more information to make good decisions."
Storm said part of the water study is to look at "the big picture" and access information is limited on a county-level. She added that when she has asked DNR officials, experts said they have no time to compile certain data because of their staff limitations. Storm used geographic information system information to find that a majority of the 68 soil types in York Township are unable to handle spreading. But without an access database, Storm said, there is no way to determine what the majority total is exactly.