Bush Admin's Parting Gift to the Factory Farms
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 11.10.08
Photo credit: StoptheMegaDairy.org via earthfirst
Just because we have a new President-Elect doesn't mean that the existing President can't leave a few parting gifts to his friends and supporters, part of what Jeff Odefey at the waterkeeper Alliance calls an "environmental yard sale." Back in March we noted that the EPA (Evidence of Pollution is Annoying) removed reporting requirements for ammonia and hydrogen sulfides; now the President has signed a new rule making factory farms exempt from permits that limit water pollution.
According to the Natural Resources Defense Council:
Factory farms, also known as concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), confine animals on an industrial scale and produce massive amounts of manure and other waste that can pollute waterways with dangerous contaminants. EPA estimates that these facilities generate three times more waste than people do nationwide. Moreover, factory farms lack waste treatment facilities comparable to those that treat human sewage. The new rule: -Creates a loophole allowing facility operators to avoid permits by claiming they won’t have a discharge.-Adopts a scheme that allows facilities to avoid certain environmental enforcement. For instance, if an operator certifies that the facility won’t have a discharge, environmental authorities will ignore enforcement action, even if the facility discharges to the nation’s waters.
-Rejects improvements in technology that would reduce harmful bacteria and other pathogens contained in animal waste, missing an opportunity to prevent water pollution and threats to public health.
“Literally and figuratively, this rule puts the Bush Administration’s stamp of approval on a load of manure,” said Jon Devine, Senior Attorney in the Water Program at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). “Even though Congress specifically targeted factory farms for regulation under the Clean Water Act in 1972 and EPA has recognized the importance of these operations getting pollution control permits, the Administration stepped in it today.”
Sigh. More at NRDC, via Earthfirst
More TreeHugger on Factory Farming:
In the Farm Bill, a “ Factory Farm Incentive Program” : TreeHugger
The Meatrix :
The Meatrix II: Revolting (Well, just not as good...)
The Meatrix 2.5: A Look Inside Fast Food Nation
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Speaking of parting gifts, when President Bush and President-elect Obama meet at the Oval Office today to talk about the future, hopefully they'll touch upon our environmental challenges, which, as e-waste expert and author Elizabeth Grossman says, are "made even more challenging by last minute Bush Administration actions”:
http://blog.islandpress.org/231/elizabeth-grossman-last-minute-bush-administration-actions
What I don't understand is why they're not selling their waste yet. I'm certain there's markets for ammonia and hydrogen sulphides, nevermind the raw waste products themselves. The CAFOs just have to look for a buyer really.
Just a formatting comment:
You're missing the newline just before the first bullet point in the quote.
Presumably, Obama can rescind these flagrant attacks on the environment - just as W did to all Clinton's environmental protections he signed in...
This is an injustice to not only the environment but humanity as well. I guess I learned wrong in grade school; America is NOT a democracy in any way. It is corporate fascism more than anything else, and hopefully Mr. Obama can turn that around.
This is a great article. Thank you for posting it. If not for the internet and wonderful online communities such as this one, much important news would never reach the concerned public.
Please let us know what each of us can do to undue this. Should we be contacting our senators and congressmen? Or is there a petition we can sign? Is there a better route?
I do what I can, but sometimes I need a little direction in order to get started.
Thanks again!
As long as the average American eats a 1/2 lb of meat a day, we shall continue to reap what we sow.
The only environmentalists who aren't just blowing a lot of hot air are those who take it uponst themselves and just quit eating it. Even if you aren't willing to actually stand by your full convictions, you can make a huge difference just by cutting your meat consumption in half.