Contact: Steve Hansen (Communications Director) (202) 225-7749
Justin Harclerode (Communications Assistant) (202)
226-8767
To: National Desk/Environment Reporter
May 16,
2001
Proposed Animal Waste Management Regulations Seen As Threat To Small Farms
Washington, D.C. – Farmers and state officials today told the U.S. House Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment their concerns about a proposal that would significantly alter and complicate regulations governing the management of animal waste on many of our nation’s farms.
The extensive regulations, proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in January under the outgoing Clinton Administration, would alter the definition of a Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) to include more small farming operations. The regulations would also change CAFO effluent limitation guidelines. Current EPA Administrator Christine Todd Whitman recently extended the comment period for the proposed regulations to July 30.
Under the Clean Water Act, the discharge of pollutants into navigable waters from directly identifiable locations (point sources) is regulated through a federal program, which in most cases is then delegated to the states.
In the past few years, heightened attention has been given to the problem of excessive nutrients and the contribution of animal feeding operations to water quality problems. Since 1996, 12 states have established new environmental regulations to address animal feeding operations, while others have pursued effective non-regulatory approaches.
Protecting Water Quality Without Running Small Farmers Out Of Business – Chairman John Duncan
One-Size-Fits-All Policies Not The Answer – Rep. Dennis Rehberg
Many of the Subcommittee members and witnesses commented on the impossible burden placed on farmers to review hundreds of pages of proposed EPA rules to determine how their operation would be affected.
Witnesses Say Proposed Regulations Not The Answer
“The sheer page volume is an overwhelming first step to overcome on the way to identifying what must be done at a particular operation,” said Marty Smith, a cattle farmer and lawyer from Florida. “A fair amount of my legal practice has dealt with the permitting of CAFO’s in the state of Florida. Even with my understanding of the law, from the proposals set forth by EPA, it is difficult to counsel clients on what they may be required to do.”
“I have been farming all my life,” said Craig Hill, a farmer from Iowa. “There is a direct correlation between the improvements and growth in my operation and the containment of nutrients. Today, my operation is more environmentally sound than when I first started farming. As I continue to grow my operation, this trend will continue.”
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