(Kansas City, Kan., May 26, 2011) – A beef feedlot in Underwood, Iowa, has agreed to pay a $20,000 civil penalty for unpermitted discharges of wastewater from the
facility into Mosquito Creek. Moran Beef, Inc., agreed to pay the penalty as part of an administrative consent agreement filed by EPA Region 7 in Kansas City, Kan.

In June 2009, EPA inspectors visited the facility and found that it lacked controls to prevent the discharge of animal waste into Mosquito Creek and its tributaries.

A subsequent inspection in October 2009 collected samples of effluent that showed the facility was discharging pathogens, ammonia and nitrate into an unnamed tributary of the creek.
At the time of EPA’s inspection of Moran Beef, the facility was confining approximately 1,485 cattle in its open lot and confinement barn operations. A Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) with both open lots and confinement barns is subject to regulation under the Clean Water Act as a “Large CAFO” if the entire operation contains more than 1,000 beef cattle.
EPA issued an administrative compliance order to Moran Beef in January 2010, directing it to comply with requirements of the Clean Water Act and end all unauthorized discharges of wastewater from its facility. Following that order, Moran Beef applied for a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit and has built controls at its facility to prevent unauthorized discharges.
Unpermitted discharges of wastewater from CAFOs can cause exceedances in water quality standards and pose risks to human health, threaten aquatic life and its habitat, and impair public use and enjoyment of waterways.

The Iowa DOT’s Creston construction office reports road construction work will reduce U.S. 34 to one lane between Iowa 148 (near Corning) and Iowa 25 (near Creston) beginning Thursday, June 2nd, weather permitting.
Flaggers and a pilot car will be used to control traffic during the closure, which is scheduled to last until June 23.

A 16-foot width lane restriction will also be in effect.

The Iowa Department of Transportation’s Council Bluffs construction office says bridge painting work will cause lane restrictions on U-S Highway 6 between Iowa Highway 192 and Interstate 80 near Council Bluffs, beginning Wednesday, June 1^st, weather permitting.

Officials say the first phase of the bridge painting will cause traffic on westbound Highway 6 to be restricted to one lane for about 3 weeks. Once complete, the contractor will begin work on the second phase of the project, which will cause traffic on the eastbound Highway 6 bridge to be restricted to one lane.

The entire project is expected to be finished in mid-July, weather permitting.

The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office reports a Cass County woman wanted on an outstanding drug-related warrant has turned her self-in. 20-year old Rhiana Marie Christensen, of Cumberland, was charged with Keeping a Place for Possessing Controlled Substances, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Officials say the charges stem from a search warrant executed at Christensen’s apartment in Audubon, on April 30^th.

Christensen has been seen by the magistrate, was ordered to pay a fine, and was released from custody.

An Atlantic teen received a warning for striking an unattended vehicle in the Fareway parking lot Wednesday evening, in Atlantic. Alex Tarr was warned after her vehicle struck a car in a parking stall, as Tarr was attempted to park.

Atlantic Police say Tarr pulled into a parking stall next to a vehicle registered to Julie St. John, of Atlantic.  She hit St. John’s vehicle as the teenager was backing-up while trying to get into her parking stall, at a better angle.

Damage from the mishap, which happened at around 5:20-p.m., amounted to $1,500.

A note for residents of Atlantic: The City will be testing the Tornado sirens today, through Noon, instead of the regular weekly test on Friday. Some of the sirens were hit by lightening recently, so they are testing now to determine which ones need to be fixed. There is no imminent severe weather threat.