Hundreds oppose dairy on reservation

TOPPENISH -- A Sunnyside family's plan to erect a dairy that would hold up to 7,000 cows near a national wildlife refuge on the Yakama reservation is drawing fire from hundreds of residents.

About a dozen residents on Tuesday morning submitted to tribal program managers a petition containing more than 470 signatures against the project.

The group, composed of tribal and nontribal residents, presented their concerns during a meeting at the tribe's wildlife department in Toppenish.

They voiced concern about possible environmental impacts the project could bring and demanded that a moratorium barring any new feedlot or dairy operations on the reservation be followed.

"We don't want any more dairies on the reservation," said tribal member Pam Wong. "The people voted for that."

Tribal program directors sat mostly quietly and listened to the concerns that stem from the Sytsma family's purchase of 480 acres along Pumphouse Road with the intention of erecting a dairy.

The property sits on a hill south of wetlands, a wildlife refuge and Toppenish Creek, where steelhead return.

The Sytsma family currently runs a 1,600-cow dairy in Sunnyside, said agronomist Stew Turner, who is working on the proposal on behalf of the Sytsmas.

The proposed dairy would be equipped with state-of-the-art technology that would prevent any risks to the environment, Turner said.

Though the Sytsmas own the property, the site is located on the reservation, where the tribe has jurisdiction on the use of groundwater. Before the dairy would go in, plans would have to undergo a state Environmental Policy Act review and be permitted by both the county and the tribe.

But the group says it's not convinced that environmental rules would be followed and questioned who would monitor the operation.

Residents who spoke at Tuesday's meeting expressed fear that the reservation is becoming a new "dumping ground" for such operations.

They cited existing high concentrates of nitrate -- commonly produced by feedlots and dairies and fertilizers -- in well water in the area of current feedlot and dairies on the reservation.

Resident Laurie Porter said the amount of nitrates in her water is more than twice the amount considered safe to drink.

"I'm wondering if someone should come out and test my neighbor's wells," she told the tribal program managers. "I guess my main concern is the health of myself and my neighbors."

Wong and several other area residents are embroiled in a lawsuit against a 12,000-cow feedlot near her Harrah home. She said she and her children have been experiencing problems with breathing and diarrhea since the feedlot doubled its size in 2002.

Bill Dolsen, president of the company that owns the feedlot, wasn't present at the meeting but contends the operation is following all environmental regulations.

Concerns over additional dairies or feedlots coming onto the reservation led to tribal members approving Wong's motion 139-69 earlier this month to bar any new operations.

But tribal officials now say her motion was too vague and doesn't call for any moratorium.

Tears flowed from Wong's eyes Tuesday as she told program directors that tribal members voted to keep any new operations from the reservation.

"I want to know what's making me sick," she said, wiping her tears. "I want to know what's making my children sick."

White Swan water program director Marlene White said residential wells have to be dug deeper in the White Swan and Harrah areas because of high concentrations of nitrate.

She also said the flies, dust and smell are horrid in the areas near the dairies and feedlots.

"It's not fun to live out in that area," she said.

Officials with the tribe's Department of Natural Resources are currently researching possible impacts such operations are having on the reservation.

Turner, the agronomist, said residents need to be better informed of the Sytsmas' plans, and will have opportunities to weigh in on public comment periods.

"I think there are some very ill-informed people who don't have the data and who have a political agenda," he said.

* Phil Ferolito can be reached at 577-7749, or by e-mail at pferolito@yakimaherald.com.