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Dennis Weibel, who owned and operated a 600-heifer farm in Monroe County, agreed to the fine to settle a lawsuit brought by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources after manure spilled from Weibel’s farm into the creek, killing fish up to nine miles away.
According to a complaint, the manure spill killed at least 225 trout in the creek and many more fish over nine miles downstream.
Weibel violated state law prohibiting discharge of manure from a farm of that size into state navigable waters, but he also cooperated with the DNR to remove the manure that remained in the ravine.
Under the terms of the settlement, Weibel must pay $28,000 in penalties and costs, including $5,906.25 for the dead fish and $18,000 to restore the creek. In addition, Weibel must publish an article in Agri-News and Country Today about good manure management practices for expanding farms, the factors that resulted in the fish kill in this case and what farmers can do to avoid a similar problem.
La Crosse County Circuit Judge Scott Horne approved the settlement.
