Supreme Beef submits nutrient management plan to DNR
By Audrey Posten, Times-Register
Supreme Beef, LLC has submitted a nutrient management plan (NMP) to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources for an open feedlot operation located along Highway 18/52, near Monona.
It’s the same site as the once-proposed Walz Energy facility, a cattle feedlot and biogas operation that, with the use of anaerobic digesters, planned to turn manure from 10,000 cattle into natural gas. Now, instead of converting the manure to energy, Supreme Beef has proposed applying it to properties in Clayton and Allamakee counties.
This is the second time since last fall that Supreme Beef has submitted an NMP. In October, following a virtual public hearing, the DNR approved a revised NMP, but with a reduction in the number of animals at the site and removal of multiple manure application fields.
In the NMP approval letter to Supreme Beef, the DNR stated the maximum number of animals housed at the site would be 2,700 cattle instead of the capacity of 11,600 animal units. The number of fields to which manure could be applied was also dramatically decreased from 47 to only 13 “due to incorrect documentation of Phosphorous Index calculations.”
“That figure is what the DNR has ultimately reviewed and approved,” said Joe Sanfilippo, environmental program supervisor at the DNR’s Field Office 1 in Manchester. He later added, “if you wish to increase the number of animals housed on site in the future, you must first submit a revised NMP for review and approval, including publishing a public notice.”
That notice came in the Feb. 10 Times-Register, and again listed the feedlot as having the capacity of 11,600 animal units. It also stated the operation plans to apply manure in Giard, Farmersburg, Wagner, Grand Meadow, Lodomillo, Monona, Read and Franklin townships. The NMP itself lists over 40 fields for manure application.
A lagoon has been constructed at the Supreme Beef site to hold the more than 30 million gallons of manure the animals are projected to produce.
In determining whether to approve the NMP, the DNR said it will consider written comments regarding whether the NMP complies with Iowa law.
A public hearing regarding the NMP has already been requested. According to attorney Kelli Book with the DNR’s Legal Services Bureau, the hearing must be conducted within 30 days of the Feb. 10 publication.
“The DNR has 60 days to approve or deny the NMP and a decision will not be made until after the public hearing has taken place and public comments can be reviewed. Once the public hearing date has been set, DNR will publish the sign up information, much like with the previous hearing,” she said.
