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Victor Fine hpublic off By LORRAINE MORGAN On July 15, the meat-processing News-Sentinel staff writer facility, located on Highway 99 The Environmental Protection North in Lodi, began injecting the Agency will not hold a public waste waters after it found there hearing for Victor Fine Foods' pro- was no federal law preventing a posed deep well permit. company from using a class V well, The hearing was scheduled for EPA officials said. But because of Friday at the Lodi Motor Inn after the "unusual nature" of its waste- a public comment period that end- disposal system, EPA, with full ed Tuesday. But EPA authority, still required the com- hydrogeologist Steve Ihnen said pang to obtain a class V permit. there wasn't enough public concern The new permit will require the to justify a hearing, after receiving company to frequently test the seven letters from the community. quality of the drinking water However, the EPA will still res- sources at the injection site and pond to all the letters within the report the results to several agen- next two to three weeks, Ihnen ad- cies. ded. Ihnen said the EPA will review In April, Victor applied for a Victor's deep-well proposal as well class V permit to dispose of its as the letters from the community waste waters into an injection well for another two to three weeks be- 2,700 feet underground. The waste fore it decides to approve the pro- waters are non-hazardous and posed permit. made up of highly salty brines from Once the permit is issued, com- the making of bacon, ham and munity members, who previously other cured meat products. sent letters of concern during the The company sought the permit public comment period, will be after it discovered its waste waters allowed to appeal the permit for would be injected into an aquifer another 30 days. Ihnen said it's that is considered a drinking water uncommon for anyone to appeal a source under federal law. permit after it is issued.