HARDIN COUNTY — An anonymous tip about tires allegedly buried beneath concrete at a rural Northern Iowa property has turned into a state environmental investigation that could bring consequences for one of the responsible land owners after dozens of tires were eventually dug up and hauled away.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources investigation centers on a former farmstead at 28072 170th Street in Jackson Township in Hardin County.
State records show the DNR received an anonymous complaint on August 24 alleging that tires had been buried at the property during cleanup work and that concrete from an old foundation had been placed over them.
The complaint identified Zachary Knutson, who told investigators he had partial ownership of the property.
DNR environmental officials arrived at the farmstead the following afternoon.
Knutson told investigators he was cleaning up the acreage because rundown buildings and accumulated debris were making it difficult to move equipment around the property.
The work included removing scrap metal, tearing down an old barn, garage and two wooden granaries, burning trees and some building material, and burying demolition debris including concrete foundations.
When DNR officials asked about tires, Knutson said there may have been a few mixed into the buried material because numerous scrap vehicles had been located on the property.
He denied intentionally burying tires.
Investigators walked the property and documented a large excavation, scrap metal and a burn pile.
No tires were visible in the hole during the inspection.
But according to the DNR investigative report, officials believed tires had already been buried beneath concrete based on information they had received before arriving at the property.
The allegation was significant because Iowa environmental regulators have repeatedly warned property owners about improperly disposing of waste tires. NorthIowaToday.com previously reported that the Iowa DNR warned Iowans not to allow their properties to become dumping grounds for discarded tires.
After investigators left, the case developed quickly.
Knutson later sent DNR officials photographs and documentation showing tires being removed from the property.
One message included in the investigative file said 31 tires, along with an old refrigerator, were being taken to a Hardin County disposal facility.
Photos show a trailer loaded with old tires and a large hole that had been excavated during the cleanup.
Landfill receipts dated August 26 documented disposal of the tires and refrigerator.
Then investigators received word that even more tires had been found.
On August 31, Knutson provided another photograph showing six additional tires recovered from the property, along with documentation showing they had also been taken for disposal.
The investigation therefore documents at least 37 tires being removed from the property after the anonymous complaint reached state officials.
Improper tire disposal can become a serious matter when violations grow larger. NorthIowaToday.com previously reported that a Northern Iowa man was sent to prison after authorities accused him of illegally dumping thousands of tires.
There is no indication that the Hardin County case approaches that scale.
The current investigation involves cleanup of a deteriorated rural property and questions about what materials were buried or burned during that work.
The DNR investigation also uncovered another potential violation.
Knutson told officials that some asphalt shingles may have been burned during demolition work.
According to the DNR report, the agency planned to issue a Notice of Violation for improper solid-waste disposal and burning asphalt shingles.
The investigative file includes photographs of the property, burn pile, scrap material, excavated hole, removed tires and landfill receipts documenting disposal.
The case began with an anonymous complaint.
Days later, state environmental officials were walking the property, a large excavation had been opened, dozens of tires had been hauled away and the property owner was facing possible state enforcement action over how the cleanup was conducted.
IMAGES FROM IOWA DNR REPORT:
