Editor, Times-Union: When it comes to rules, regulations and ordinances, one size does not fit all.
IDEM, sitting at a desk in Indianapolis, makes a general, all-including regulation that will only help to regulate. Each county must be governed on a local level. Each county is unique in the physical make up of the land use. A county regulation is specific. What works for one county may have no bearing on what might work for another. Rules given at a state level are harder to keep in check. IDEM will never have enough inspectors to make sure that the rules they make are followed. Self inspection is a very unstable way of making sure of compliance.
As land owners and farmers, we are not looking for more government intervention. We are just looking for equality in how the land is used. We do not understand why another farmer can rule how we will live our everyday life in the shadow of large CAFOs that will serve to pollute the air and water around us. We think it is very unfair for already established businesses to have to contemplate moving if a CAFO is put in near that business. Why jeopardize already established revenue for that area?
Until the governing entities of our county start listening to all of the people instead of deciding among themselves, we will just have politics as usual.
