Asaconcernedcitizenofeasternnebraska,I, ,Amrespectfully

Date:

DearSirs,

AsaconcernedcitizenofeasternNebraska,I, ,amrespectfully requestingyoutoinitiateanEnvironmentalImpactStudyonthelandonthesouthernboundaryofFremontwhere theproposedLincolnPremiumPoultrychickenprocessingcomplexwillbebuilt.Thismassivecomplexincludesnot onlytheprocessingplant,butalsoahatchery,feedmill,andthreewastewaterlagoons.

Myconcernsinclude,butarenotlimitedto,thefollowing:

1.FLOODINGThelandinquestionisinafloodplainandisapproximately½milefromthemainchannelofthePlatte River.Thisareafrequentlyfloodsduetoheavyraineventsinthesummersandicejamsthatcreatefloodinginthe winters.Floodwaterscouldmakethesoilsupportingtheprocessingfacilityextremelyunstableandcontaminateit withavarietyofwater-bornediseases.

2.ENDANGEREDSPECIESThereareanumberofendangeredspecieslivinginornearthisland.Thesespeciesinclude thefederallyendangeredpallidsturgeonandleasttern;thefederallythreatenedpipingploverandnorthern

long-earedbat,whichareprotectedunderthefederalEndangeredSpeciesAct.Thereisalsoatleastonebaldeagle nestdownstreamfromtheHighway77Bridge.BaldEaglesareprotectedundertheBaldandGoldenEagleProtection Act.ThisareaisalsoaMidwestFlywayofapproximatelytwomillionmigratingbirds,whichareprotectedbythe MigratoryBirdTreatyAct. Allofthesespecieswouldbeaffectedbyrunoffofmanureandroadsedimentintothe PlatteRiver.Themanurecausesexcessnutrientstogrow,creatingalgaebloomsthatdepleteshallowwatersof oxygeninthesummers,whichcankillfishandplantlife(Source:FishandWildlifeService).

3.WATERPOLLUTIONFremontitselfhistoricallyhashadsomeofthepurestandbesttastingwaterinthenation.This couldchangebecausetheplantwillbelocatedwithinamileofFremont’swellfield.Potentiallyhazardous

wastewaterdischargehighinnitrogen,phosphorus,suspendedsolids,fecalcoliformsandpathogenicbacteriaaffect thewater.Manurecanalsocontainsalmonella,campylobacter,andE.coli.Also,thenutrientrunoffthatcausesalgae bloomsposesrisksforpeoplewhoswiminaffectedwaterwaysoreatfishandshellfishfromthosewaterways.These risksarelinkedtoneurologicalimpairments,liverdamage,gastrointestinalillness,andseveredermatitis.Airbornewaterbasedpathogensfromtheprocessingplantcanexposeworkersandthesurroundingcommunitytopossibly antibiotic-resistantstrainsofEnterococciandStaphylococci.Runoffalsocreatessoilpollution;manurecan contaminategroundandsurfacewaterswithnitratesanddrugresidues.Exposurecancausecancer,birthdefects, thyroidproblems,blooddisorders,neurologicalimpairments,andliverdamage(Source:JohnsHopkins).Runoffinto PlatteRiver,amajortributaryoftheMissouriRiver,willflowsouthtoothermetropolitanareassuchasValley, Waterloo,Omaha,Bellevue,Plattsmouth,andLincoln,therebyaffectingtheirwatersuppliestoo.

Thankyouforreading.Ifthisprocessingplantisbuilt,itwillbealifechangingeventforALLNebraskansbecauseif oneprocessingplantisallowedtocome,manymorewillfollow,whichwilldestroyNebraska’scleanwater,itssoil, andmanyofitsendangeredspecies.PleaserequestanEnvironmentalImpactStudyofthisarealocatedonthe southernboundaryofFremont.

Signed______