EPA Issues New Rules Regarding Waterway Pollution -- California Capitol Hill Bulletin -- Volume 10, Bulletin 1 -- January 9, 2003

On December 16, 2002, the Environmental Protection Agency issued new rules seeking to prevent manure from livestock operations from polluting waterways. When announcing the new rules, EPA Administrator Christie Whitman stated that "animal waste generated by concentrated feeding operations poses a real threat to the health of American waters." Three times as many U.S. farms will be required to get special permits for disposing of waste from chicken, pigs, and cows under the new plan. New regulations are aimed at reducing the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus, two of the major pollutants that enters into the waterways, by 25%. To help producers pay for cost of meeting new regulations rules, Congress allocated $51 billion over the next decade.

According to press reports, California officials have expressed concern about the impact the new regulation will have on the farming industry in the state. Currently there are 2,200 dairy farms that are regulated by a network of regional water quality control boards. Large animal operations in California are run under a zero discharge state regulation already. The new rules will require farm inspectors to prepare paperwork and permits for 1,000 dairies in the state, in addition to those dairies subject to routine checks currently.

For more information about the new EPA rules, please visit: http://www.epa.gov.

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