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To: Boards of Supervisors From: David Vestal, ISAC General Counsel Re: Master Matrix Date: December 5, 2008
If a county chooses to use the master matrix to evaluate applications for construction permits for large animal confinement operations, the board of supervisors must adopt a “construction evaluation resolution” annually.
According the DNR’s administrative rules, if the board of supervisors wants to use the master matrix between February 1, 2009 and January 31, 2010, the board of supervisors must submit an adopted “construction evaluation resolution” to the DNR between January 1 and January 31, 2009.
Click here for a sample construction evaluation resolution.
The construction evaluation resolution should be mailed to:
Jerah Gallinger IDNR 502 East 9th Street Des Moines, IA 50319-0034
Or you can fax it to 515-281-6794.
The board of supervisors can adopt the resolution at any time, as long as it is actually mailed or faxed to the DNR during January of 2009.
Pay attention to this deadline. It seems like every year there is a county or two that misses the deadline.
If a county board of supervisors does not adopt a construction evaluation resolution for 2009, then the county cannot:
1)submit a formal recommendation to the DNR concerning a particular construction permit application; the county can submit comments, but they are not given nearly as much weight by DNR as a formal recommendation would be;
2)send county employee along on a DNR site inspection; or
3)appeal the DNR’s decision regarding a construction permit application to the Environmental Protection Commission.
In addition, if the county chooses to use the master matrix, then applicants must meet stricter environmental standards than they would have to meet otherwise. So using the master matrix provides greater environmental protection for the county.
Eighty-seven counties filed resolutions in 2008. Here is a link to a map showing those 87 counties: http://www.iowadnr.com/afo/files/08cermap.pdf
If you have any questions about this memo, you can call David Vestal at ISAC (515) 244-7181, or Gene Tinker at the DNR at (515) 281-3103.
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