From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: December 27, 2006 5:26:31 PM CST To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: DNR Director appointment by Governor & 6 possible new CAFOs Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Dear JFAN supporters: We have two important pieces of year-end news: First, ICCI is requesting for citizens to E-MAIL Governor elect Culver asking him to support the reappointment of Jeff Vonk as head of the DNR. Time is of the essence here as the new team takes office this January 12th. The full ICCI email is posted below. Second, there was recently a local news article announcing SIX PROPOSED new 4,800 head hog confinements in northeast Wapello County, just across the border from Jefferson County. This news is very disturbing based upon the large numbers in the proposals, a total of 28,800 hogs. It underscores our need to remain extremely vigilant to the threat of new hog confinements within our own county. While not taking away from the severity of these new proposals, it is important to remember that Wapello County has failed to adopt Iowa's Master Matrix confinement plan that Jefferson County has adopted, making Wapello County easier prey to such large hog confinements. Additionally, Wapello County has failed to organize a coherent county wide organization like JFAN that is opposed to such new large scale confinements. Despite these differences, we all must realize that we cannot become complacent in Jefferson County, but instead must increase our own vigilance against any new large scale hog confinements. If respected, our Good Neighbor Guidelines will go a long way toward maintaining harmony within our county on this issue. If not respected, new confinement operators face the very real risk of further lawsuits from their neighbors in order to stop them. Thank you for your continued support, Board of Directors Jefferson County Farmers and Neighbors, Inc. (641) 209-6600, [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.jfaniowa.org ----- Original Message ----- From: iowacci To: iowacci Sent: Thursday, December 21, 2006 4:41 PM Subject: Stand up for Vonk's Reappointment! Stand up for Vonk's Reappointment! Governor-Elect Culver has already begun appointing some directors of state agencies, and it's not looking good for Jeff Vonk as head of the DNR. Since he has been appointed, Vonk has learned a lot about the issues we care about, and he has taken some important steps towards protecting the environment (like the Water Protection Rule) and supported local control. Many of you have voiced your desire to support his reappointment. Here's what you can do: Write your own letter to Culver asking him to appoint Vonk and stop considering candidates that would expand factory farming and hurt the environment. Send it to the address below or e-mail it to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and [EMAIL PROTECTED] December 23, 2006 Office of the Governor-elect Room 022, Lucas Building 321 East 12th Street Des Moines, IA 50319 Dear Governor-Elect Culver, We contacted you earlier this month to ask you to reappoint Jeffrey Vonk as Director of the Department of Natural Resources. We have almost 4,000 members across the state, and on their behalf we ask you to take this appointment into serious consideration. The Director of the DNR has the power to shape Iowa's environmental future. With Director Vonk, we have been looking forward to a future in which concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) are fairly regulated and held accountable for the environmental problems they create. He has taken important steps to protect our water, an issue that affects not only rural areas, but all Iowans. Your consideration of certain individuals, such as Brent Halling, for the position of DNR director is both frightening and deeply disturbing. His history as president of the Iowa Pork Producers Association shows little concern for Iowa's environment. He was a strong supporter and lobbyist for House File 519, the disastrous 1995 bill that opened the door to factory farm expansion in Iowa. With such an ingrained dedication to industry, his ability to adequately fill the role of DNR director is questionable, at best. As the DNR is entrusted with the protection of the environment, his appointment would make little sense. And it would deeply disappoint thousands of people across Iowa who voiced their concern for the environment through their votes this last November. You have many choices ahead of you, and Iowa's future will be affected by your decisions. As you appoint a new director of the DNR and new commissioners for the Environmental Protection Commission, we implore you to keep Iowa's environment and the people of Iowa in mind. If factory farms are allowed to expand even further across our landscape, we will all pay the price of cleaning up the water, new roads and bridges, and possibly even healthcare costs. Jeffrey Vonk as director of the DNR and some of the current EPC members - Francis Thicke, Jerry Peckumn, Lisa Davis Cook, and Donna Buell - have been good stewards of our environment, and we strongly support their reappointment. Please take this matter into serious consideration. The people of Iowa made their opinions clear at the polls when they elected you, who pledged to be a friend of our environment. We're raising our voices again, now, for our newly elected officials. Reappoint other friends of the environment as Director of the DNR and members of the EPC. The quality of our environment is at stake.
