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LDS-owned Farm in Water Dispute
SAGINAW, MICHIGAN -- Officials of Saginaw County, Michigan gave the managers
of an LDS Church-owned farm until Monday to come up with proposals for
cutting their water use. The county is reacting to complaints from local
homeowners whose wells are going dry as an underground aquifer is being
drained. Affected homes are in Fremont, Lakefield and Richland townships,
while the LDS Church-owned farm is in Lakefield Township. An attorney
representing the Church-owned farm said that he will submit a plan by the
deadline, "We've tried to be very responsive to the request and the demands
of the county," said Brent W. Schindler, an Auburn lawyer representing the
church.The U.S. Geological Survey is conducting a $100,000 hydrogeologic
review, due in September, to monitor water levels and find out what's
causing property owners' problems. In the meantime, officials from both
farms have said they are also conducting their own studies. Schindler said
his client's study shows a "minimal" impact on the aquifer. In some cases,
neighbors need to drill deeper wells; in others "we have a number of wells
there that are older," he said. Schindler said the church has taken water
tanks around to some neighbors and dropped the water-hungry sugar beet crop
it grew last year. Now, it grows beans and corn.
Source:
Water fight heats up
Saginaw MI News 27Jul01 US MI Sag B3
By Barrie Barber: The Saginaw News
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