Oklahoma AG Files Suit to Halt Poultry Waste Disposal

The Oklahoma Attorney General, W. A. Drew Edmondson, has filed a suit to halt poultry waste disposal in the Illinois River Watershed. Citing an “imminent and substantial endangerment” to public health, the State of Oklahoma today asked a federal judge to prohibit any further land application of poultry waste in the Illinois River Watershed (IRW). Showing a “direct path from the place of poultry waste disposal to the locations...where contamination is found,” the state presented evidence that the poultry companies’ reckless waste dumping methods are contributing to high levels of bacteria in the waters of the state. “We can show that fecal bacteria in poultry waste is reaching the surface water and groundwater,” Edmondson said. “Scientists found areas where the bacterial counts in runoff water from poultry waste disposal fields were similar to those found in raw, untreated human sewage. These bacteria can cause a myriad of gastrointestinal illnesses and infections through ingestion and skin contact. We need the court to stop the dumping of waste to protect public health and the safety of the state’s water resources.”

News Release, State Seeks to Halt Litter Application

Copy of, State of Oklahoma's Motion for Preliminary Injunction

Is this a strategy that our own Attorney General, Jay Nixon, could take on?

EPA Webcast on CAFO Rulemaking

EPA is hosting a web cast (March 14, 2008, 12:00pm - 2:00pm EST) to provide additional information on the supplemental notice of proposed rule making for the CAFO NPDES program that was published in the Federal Register on March 7, 2008. Participants will be able to submit questions about the supplemental proposal to the EPA presenters during the web cast to gain a better understanding of this rule making effort. This web cast is intended to support the public comment period for this proposed rule, which closes on April 7, 2008. To register for this free web cast, please visit www.epa.gov/npdes/training

Ozbun CAFO hearing June 16-20, Jefferson City

The Appeal Hearing for the Ozbun CAFO Operating Permit (granted by MDNR on August 20, 2007 by MDNR), originally scheduled for March 10, 2008, has been rescheduled for June 16-20, 2008 in the Harry S. Truman Building (301 West High Street, Jefferson City, MO 65101). The Ozbun CAFO is located within a mile of Roaring River and the Roaring River State Park (Barry County, MO).

Opponents
Roaring River Park Alliance
Local residents
Trout Fishermen
Environmentalist
Tourism Groups
Rep. Jeff Harris, D-Columbia, MO.
John Price, Atty. (Carnahan, Evans, Cantwell & Brown-Springfield)

Supporters
Michelle and Rodney Ozbun
Michael Schmid, Atty. (Schreimann, Rackers, Francka & Blunt-Jefferson City)

Missouri House Bill 1931 Initiative Petition

HB 1931 Changes the laws regarding the issuance of construction permits for concentrated animal feeding operations.
Summary of HB 1931
Text of HB 1931
Tracking HB 1931

The Joplin Globe's Wally Kennedy, Sunday, March 2, 2008, ran a cover story of CAFO issues in Southwest Missouri Wide Open for CAFOs, "Missouri bills would restrict CAFOs, subject them to local approval", and the new legislation introduced by Representative Jeff Harris, D-Columbia, HB 1931.

The article quotes rural Golden City farmers Darvin Bentlage and Zach McGuire, describing the proliferation of CAFO's around their property. It also references the controverys regarding CAFOs in close proximity to Roaring River, Arrow Rock and Battle of Athens State Parks. The article quotes Leslie Holloway, director of state and local government affairs with Missouri Farm Bureau as saying, “We are not in favor of trying to put to a vote an application for a ranch or individual family-farm operation. We think the current permitting works. Making an individual farm or ranch petition subject to a vote of residents of the county seems to be totally contrary to the whole idea of local planning.”

The Joplin Globe article also includes an interview with Francis Forest, owner of Kenoma LLC who owns CAFOs near Golden City and the Richland Township in Barton County (MO). Zach McGuire and his neighbors in Richland Township, west of Golden City, already put their CAFO question to a vote. They attempted to control CAFOs at the township level by giving the township board the authority to regulate the numbers of animals in a CAFO. The board unanimously voted to place the zoning issue on the ballot last fall. It was approved in a record turnout of 206 voters in the township. It was endorsed by 81 percent of the voters. An injunction was filed by the board to stop construction of the hog CAFOs by Synergy LLC and Kenoma LLC, near the village of Kenoma, which locals now refer to as “Pig Town.”
Richland Township vs. KENOMA Farms & 2400 hogs
Richland Township vs. KENOMA LLC, Part II

Darvin Bentlage is quoted as saying, “Farmers around here know they are stewards of the soil, the land and the water. They know they have to preserve it for the next generation. If 80 percent of your neighbors tell you don’t do it, you don’t do it. You respect your neighbors. That’s what real family farmers do.”

To me that pretty well describes the difference between a CAFO and a family farmer. Don't you agree?

Red Flags Around CAFOs

Kaye Smith, a member of the Roaring River Parks Alliance had her essay published in The Joplin Globe, Red Flags Around CAFOs. She ask the question, When was the Department of Natural Resources put in charge of protecting our state’s economy? The word economy does not appear in their mission statement. They are charged to protect Missouri’s land, air and water resources and work to “preserve the state’s historic and natural heritage through state parks and historic sites.”

Somewhere along the line, this job has taken a back seat in the rush to build as many concentrated animal-feeding operations as our state will hold, including the one that has caused the recent ruckus — next door to Roaring River State Park. That’s the same park our DNR is pledged to protect.

The Roaring River Parks Alliance needs and deserves our support and encouragement. Contributions can be made to: Roaring River Parks Alliance, c/o Security Bank of Southwest Missouri, P.O. Box 606, Cassville, MO 65625.

Give CAFOs the Boot

Today's The Joplin Globe OPED, In Our View is titled Give CAFOs the Boot. One can’t wander too far around Southwest Missouri before discovering that factory farms have overplayed their hand at the expense of neighbors’ property values, our environment and quality of life.

(Missouri) House Bill 909, meanwhile, would prohibit CAFOs near state parks and historic sites by setting up a five-mile buffer. Arrow Rock and the Battle of Athens state historic sites already are threatened by hog CAFOs, and a 65,600 chicken CAFO already is operating not far from Roaring River State Park.

Other states have moved to protect their crown jewels — Oklahoma has 3-mile buffer around state parks for hog farms, for example. California put a 2.5-mile collar around one of its historic sites and some Indiana legislators want to keep CAFOs at least one mile from all schools, hospitals and daycare centers. That puts CAFOs in the same lineup as drug dealers and child molesters, by the way.

In point of fact, we think the time has come for a moratorium on all CAFOs in Missouri. Until then, we'll win the ground where we can.

MDNR's CAFO Regulations Need Updated

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) just issued a press release, Department To Advise Clean Water Commission: Rule Needed To Meet EPA Deadline On Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources will advise the Clean Water Commission at its next meeting that regulation changes are needed quickly to avoid U.S. Environmental Protection Agency objections to permits issued to Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations. The EPA's 2003 CAFO final rule is more stringent than current Missouri regulations. Missouri has until February 2009 to amend its regulations or face objections from the federal agency to new permits.

MDNR has established a CAFO Rule Workgroup consisting of a variety of interested parties, including environmental organizations. The department has met with the stakeholders and reviewed the draft amendment to be presented to the Clean Water Commission. The department will continue to hold workgroup meetings to discuss current and future rulemakings.