Pro-Factory Farm EPC Member Resigns
By ICCI

Iowa CCI members urge Governor Culver to appoint replacement who will protect environment

Wednesday, September 10, 2008, Des Moines, Iowa - Ralph Klemme, an Environmental Protection Commissioner who consistently voted against protecting the environment and in favor of the factory farm industry, resigned last week from the Environmental Protection Commission, a nine-citizen DNR oversight panel appointed by the Governor. Klemme's resignation followed landmark votes by the Commission in August to deny two 7,440-head hog factories in Dallas County, which he voted to approve. Klemme was recently quoted as saying he "didn't like the direction the commission was going."

Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement members see this resignation as a victory and an opportunity for Governor Culver to appoint a new Commissioner to replace Klemme who will stand up for protecting Iowa's environment. "Because of his poor voting record, I am pleased to hear of Ralph Klemme's resignation. Now we need to make sure Governor Culver will appoint someone who will stand up for clean air and clean water," said CCI member Kevin Shilling from Greenfield.

A former state legislator from LeMars, Klemme voted in May to approve a large hog factory in Greene County that was overwhelmingly opposed by local residents, county officials and local business leaders. He also voted against a common-sense rule that would have limited the amount of manure that factory farm owners could be spread on soybean crops.

Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement is a group of everyday people who talk, act and get things done on issues that matter most. Please contact the CCI office (phone: 515-282-0484, email: iowacci@iowacci.org) if you have factory farms moving into your area that your community does not want.