ODA Accepting Comments on Boardman Dairy Facility

The Oregon Department of Agriculture has extended the public comment period for a proposed dairy facility in the Boardman area that will add 30,000 head of cows to the region.

Wym Matthews, Program Manager for the Confined Animal Feeding Operations, of CAFO, program said both the ODA and Department of Environmental Quality are reviewing the application and comments.

“The benefit is, Number 1, to inform neighbors of a potential facility like this is being considered and to allow citizens to make comments to the agencies on the proposed permit.”

The original end date of the public comment period was early August but will now be November 4^th.

Matthews said the agency first issued a CAFO permit in 2003 and has a long history of working with facilities to ensure the safety of groundwater.

“We’ve had extensive response to other permits like this that we have proposed and reviewed but I would say on this particular application the number of responses for this one is the highest one we’ve got.”

ODA and DEQ are accepting comments by mail, fax or email. Details can be found on ODA's notice for public comment.

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