Liberty, Nebraska residents urge Gage County to reject CAFO

BEATRICE – Residents who live in the Liberty, Nebraska area are ratcheting up the pressure on Gage County officials, urging them to deny a permit for a huge confined animal feeding operation near the village.

They used the public forum section of Wednesday’s Gage County Board meeting again, to oppose the plan. Steve McDowell is concerned about livestock trucks along a road in the proposed project area.

"If we're driving this road in August or September it's not too bad. But if we're driving this road after a two-inch rain, or in January or February with some ice or snow, it's a different factor. Tell the truth about this road....it's not great a road. I've seen rain put ruts in this road. This road is not to be traveled by semi-loads, of hogs."

Opponents of the project have cited groundwater concerns, potential odors, effects on property valuations and the condition of South 176th Road. It is a township road, for which Island Grove Township has maintenance responsibilities….not the county.

County supervisors cannot respond to the concerns of the residents during the public forum because it doesn’t provide the opportunity for persons who may have opposing views to respond. Gage County Attorney Roger Harris says all opinions can be given during an October 18th public hearing before the board on the Otto Farms, Summit Pork application.

"I think it is better when we have the whole public here that has been notified about the meeting. That way both sides get the opportunity to hear your input, and can respond to it."

Don Wade of Liberty wonders why the company chose the location in the first place. "It's about two miles from our wells, and we've had a spike in nitrogen in our wells, the last time they were tested. As some sage here said somewhere, well that water doesn't flow that fast. Well,. it probably doesn't flow as fast as the big muddy out here, but it's still going to flow into our wells eventually, we're only two miles away. Plus, there's a couple people who live right across from the operation, right now."

Liberty resident, Lonnie McDowell said she’s not convinced that there won’t be adverse effects, such as odors and flies from the confinement. "People can't sleep right now down in our area, because we are so concerned about this. It's a big, big thing. Why do we want to let these corporate hog farms come in to our community to make them money? It benefits nobody around Liberty. It benefits nobody in our community."

Liberty area residents have regularly been picketing along the sidewalks of the county courthouse grounds in opposition to the project, prior to county supervisor meetings.