New Feedlot Causing A Frenzy

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By Robin Woodson

Summary

A Sunnyside Dairy plans to expand on a lot near Harrah. Folks there are so upset by that idea, they're actually passing out petitions.

Story Published: Jun 25, 2008 at 10:26 PM PST

HARRAH -- "They're running out of land there and they're moving out here, and we're putting a loud voice for it, we do not want them here," Harrah Resident, Jan Whitefoot, said.

Whitefoot is one of 1500 concerned citizens who claim their being invaded.

Jan's a member of The Friends of Toppenish, a citizens group that wants to stop a new feedlot from moving into town.

"This is going to pollute our neighborhood, it's going to pollute our water, it's going to pollute our waterways, it's going to affect our health, point blank, we don't want it here," Neighbor to the site, Pat Shellenberger, explained.

The new feedlot is expected to cover almost 500 acres.

The folks against the proposal say it would not only contaminate their land and water, but it would also lower property values.

And then, there's the stench.

"We as citizens have to decide whether we want to smell cow poop or do we want to promote the grape industry and the tourism thing," Whitefoot added.

Yakima County tells Action News, before the new feedlot can begin their operation, they still have to meet standards set by the Ag Department and the Department of Ecology.

That includes building systems to control water contamination and air pollution.

But Pat and Jan say that's not good enough.

"Anything that's man made you can not expect it to last, there's no guarantee, you can't make me believe that's going to happen," Shellenberger said.

The Friends of Toppenish group will hold two meetings within the week.

They plan on explaining the impacts of the feedlot to the community, as they see them, and to raise support for a ban of feedlots on reservation land.