It was just days ago that some officials in the Southwestern part of the state thought the best way to fight groundwater contamination in Lafayette County was to punish public employees who talked about it and arrest reporters who produced stories which deviated from official news releases.
For a better alternative, check out the grassroots organizing in Crawford County which is also in SW Wisconsin and just two counties to the NW of Lafayette. Hat tip for this extensive report by Gillian Pomplun:
Rest easy, reporters and Lafayette County public employees: the County Board there appears to have sidetracked efforts to prosecute journalists for daring to report about the crap in the water...and has also set aside any plan to punish public employee who talked to the media about such matters.
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| Manure overflows from CAFOs like this one in Kewaunee County contribute to brown, contaminated well water in rural areas statewide. |
GAYS MILLS - Citizens in Marietta Township and Crawford County are currently debating the extent to which CAFOs and their industrial waste management pose a threat to the health, safety and welfare of local residents.
Marietta Township recently enacted a CAFO moratorium passed by the town board in August....
In a related process, the Crawford County Land Conservation Committee is working with county corporate counsel to draft a CAFO moratorium for consideration by the Land Conservation Committee (LCC) and ultimately, the County Board of Supervisors....
In this context, almost 50 local residents attended a showing of the film, ‘Right to Harm,’ at the Gays Mills Library on Friday, Nov. 16. Given the situation facing the local community, the film provided a timely depiction of issues facing other communities who have had CAFOs begin operation in their area.