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Yuma County resident fined for violating CDA program
Colorado Gene Kramer, of Wray, plead guilty in Yuma County court to one count of "Agriculture Chemigation without Permit," a class 6 felony, under a deferred judgment and sentencing agreement. If Kramer satisfactorily completes one year of probation, he may withdraw his guilty plea and have the charges dismissed. Mr. Kramer must pay a $3,000 fine, plus restitution and court costs; he must also obtain and maintain all necessary chemigation permits for his land. The investigation, which began in 2005, revealed that Mr. Kramer, 57, applied or authorized the application of chemicals to land or crops through the use of chemigation without proper permits. "The main objective of this program is to gain compliance through cooperation and we made every effort to work with Mr. Kramer" said CDA Chemigation Coordinator, Don Gallegos. "This program strives to protect one of our most important resources--water and chemigation permits are an important tool in that effort." The chemigation program, which is part of the Colorado Department of Agriculture's Plants Industry Division, strives to protect ground water and surface water from agricultural chemicals such as fertilizer and pesticides that are applied through a closed irrigation system. A closed irrigation system includes any device or combination of devices having a hose, pipe, or other conduit, which connects directly to any source of groundwater or surface water, through which water or a mixture of water and chemicals is drawn and applied for agricultural or horticultural purposes. Those using a closed irrigation system to apply agricultural chemicals, including fertilizer, must obtain a chemigation permit, which costs $35 per system. To obtain the proper permit, call 303-239-4149; for more on CDA's chemigation program, visit www.ag.state.co.us/DPI/Chemigation/Home.html. The Department of Agriculture issues approximately 4,000 chemigation permits annually statewide. Date: 8/2/07
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