Sorry, you can not pull something out of context like:
“ That’s what concerned local officials who considered Larson’s 2006 application for an expansion permit. The town’s experts reported finding high nitrate levels in a creek and local wells near the first site.
The town still granted Larson’s permit but with conditions. For example, Larson had to allow the town to conduct monthly water-quality tests on his land. The farm also had to follow certain crop-rotation strategies to reduce nitrate buildup.
Larson appealed to a review board run by the state’s agriculture department. The board agreed Magnolia had exceeded its authority by imposing additional conditions.”
As you can read the city issed the new permit even after the testing you indicated.
There is no indication the nitrates originated on Larson’s farm or that the creek drains Larson’s farm. Nitrates can come from other sources such as fertilizer. From some experience in Pollution Control and Abatement, it requires quite the research to find and prove the original source. This article seems to indicate the city did neither or this case would never have gotten this far.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I do not care for dairies. During several Fed Gov dairy “buyouts” most of the dairymen make out like bandits. But we are talking Private Property Right in this case.
BUT other government agencies DO HAVE THE AUTHORITY and are probably doing so (now or in the near future).
I suspect that based on the fact this particular story has now reached various news institutions all over the country.
Since the water flows in the region have already been determined, Larson would be a fool to NOT have testing done himself. Eventually someone will find a "source" (Hmm, 3,000 cows around, maybe that's it eh) and he'll be back to ground zero.