Val Rausch candidate for SD State Representative answers your questions

To all interested people, Val Rausch is now online at The Forums and ready to answer any questions you may have or listen to any comments you may want to make.

This is an opportunity to visit with Val and get to know your State Representative.

The question I would like to ask you Val is, "What goal do you want to achieve in the upcoming legislative session?"

Val;

There is a real need for new and younger attorneys to the entire outstate of South Dakota. What are your ideas in this regard?

By the way, keep up the good work! It is good to know that we still have strong people with good moral fibers at Pierre.

sorry for the delay in the response. I'm still not very good at finding my way around. As much as I would like to see family farms provide all the milk the Cheese factories need, it just is not possible. Too many family farms have stopped milking or stopped farming altogether. Companies have a right to expand their businesses and how they do that under the law is totally up to them.

Reporting violations should be first brought to the attention of the County Commission. They should investigate and report it to the DENR for their investigation. If the parties are found to be in violation the DENR will force compliance and resolve the situation.

I suppose a law suit could be filed, but that usually would only be the last resort. If the DENR finds no fault the courts would probably have the same decision.

I jokingly say don't we have enough attorneys?? I'm not sure what causes the concern. Craig Ash, Mark Reedstrom, Greg Grajczyk, Bill Watson, Ron Frauenshuh, David McLaughlin are the ones I can think of off the top of my head. they would be between 40 and 55. Not real young but my age, not old. It would be nice to have fresh young attorneys, but the amount of work needs to be present. I have not heard we have a shortage and have not heard we have a work overload for the ones we have. I know the amount of attorneys in the state is healthy and to get them into the rural area should not be too hard if the work is there.

I'm not sure what the document says. The city attorney would be able to tell you, or even the chair of the planning and zoning! Sorry! I'm not an attorney. thanks, Val

i missed a second part of that question. i would have no idea why the Grant Co Commissioner chose that action. I'm not a member, nor do I attend their meetings. You will have to ask them. Sorry

Rep Rausch wrote:

I'm not sure what the document says. The city attorney would be able to tell you, or even the chair of the planning and zoning! Sorry! I'm not an attorney. thanks, Val

Doesn't your computer have a pdf reader, Rep Rausch?

Rep Rausch wrote:

i missed a second part of that question. i would have no idea why the Grant Co Commissioner chose that action. I'm not a member, nor do I attend their meetings. You will have to ask them. Sorry

You did not answer my questions, Rep Rausch. If you insist on shoving CAFOs down Grant County citizens' throats, you should become familiar with CAFO regulation enforcement, Rep Rausch.

Why do we always look for government for the answer?

As I read this thread there is a constant attack waiting for someone at some level of government to fight off the big evil CAFO.

A political solution is almost unheard of when attempting to fight off large feedlots and corporate farms. Even if there were a state law allowing a solution to this problem, who is going to enforce having a well too close to a feedlot? The answer, a local official. When Minnesota went to enforcement by the MPCA it actually politicized the problem. Big feedlot companies bought off St. Paul politicians and now we have a real problem.

The only real solution to this problem is an inverse condemnation proceeding. In Minnesota a county did not enforce a CUP condition and it appears that the county will have to buy the damaged land for about 1/2 million dollars.

The next CAFO this county will enforce the CUP conditions.

I do not believe there is a good political solution.

Val,

I think my original question that started this thread got lost in the shuffle.

So I'll rephrase the question to you Val, "What would you like to accomplish in the upcoming legislative session?"

to Lightnin Boy, it is unfortunate that you think I'm forcing CAFO's down Grant Co. throat. I have stayed out of the counties business, I've tried to stay oout of your affairs, but you somehow you need to blame somebody and i guess i'm it. so be it. It is very unfortunate that as i was asked to help your group I ended up being blamed!! Take care, Rep Rausch

Does the passage of this bill solve this issue?

As I have indicated to you in the past. In Minnesota when we sought a state wide solution to this problem the big campaign contributors bought the governor the election and the Governor appointed a big business Commissioner for the MPCA and it was a disaster.

It is easier to control one large business than 10 small businesses.

Be careful. You may get what you wished for!

I for one oppose government!