PEORIA, IL -- From The ICCAW Illinois Coalition for Clean Air & Water:
The Illinois Coalition for Clean Air and Water ( ICCAW) and several partner groups have submitted comments today to the IEPA regarding the General NPDES Permit for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations to Discharge (CAFOs) into Waters of the U.S.
The permit renewal process allows the public to submit comments and address shortcomings of the permit. The permit regulates all livestock facilities that meet the definition of a CAFO that have caused or will cause a pollution discharge into waters of the US.
CAFOs are a leading cause of water pollution in Illinois due to weak enforcement of its robust and expanding livestock industry. Stronger rules are desperately needed to protect surface waters: nearly 120,000 stream miles and over 300,000 lake acres, public and private water supplies, as well as quality of life are impacted.
Because of Illinois’ hydrology and topography nearly all livestock operators still land-apply waste in a climate with sloping, frozen, snow-covered, or saturated ground during several months of the year, causing runoff pollution to ground and surface water. Illinois has also been extensively tile-drained, which allows manure easy access to surface waters.
The problem is that only a dozen or so of the thousands of livestock facilities in the state have applied to operate under this water pollution control General Permit. Currently, these facilities are not even required to register their operations and locations with the IEPA. This failure in oversight and lack of regulation through permitting controls leave the IEPA and the public in the dark regarding massive amounts of manure application, locations, facility ownership and, and more.
“Unlike other states, IEPA does not employ its regulatory authority needed to properly regulate CAFOs. ALL livestock facilities should be required to register with the Agency and all CAFOs should have to apply for NPDES or equivalent state pollution control operating permits,,” stated attorney Danielle Diamond of ICCAW.
“ICCAW and partner groups have worked long and hard for change. This public comment period is a part of that effort. Illinois has won the race to the bottom in terms of regulating pollution from CAFOs…we must change this scenario,” she stated.
The coalition has also requested a public hearing on the Draft CAFO General Permit. Some of the revisions being sought include: greater manure application setbacks from residences and water sources, prohibition of manure spreading on snow and frozen ground, periodic ground and surface water quality monitoring around CAFOs, submittal of manure management plans that are transparent to the public and a provision for livestock waste runoff onto others’ land or nuisance odors impacting neighboring properties being de facto violations of the permit.
The statewide coalition stresses that changes are required immediately for the IEPA to finally assert proper regulatory oversight over the industrial livestock industry in Illinois. Otherwise, the state could lose its federally delegated authority to administer the Clean Water Act – not only for CAFOs, but all regulated industries.
ICCAW Illinois Coalition for Clean Air & Water
Karen Hudson
Peoria County
Socially Responsible Agricultural Project
Concerns Farmers & Citizens of Marshall County
Sharon DeWeerth
H.O.M.E.S.
Helping Others Maintain Environmental Standards
Jo Daviees County
https://www.stopthemegadairy.org/
Citizens Against Factory Hog Farms
Winnebago County
Dennis Johnson
SAVE ADAMS COUNTY
Crystal and Randy Claire
Trout Unlimited
Ed Michaels
Illinois Environmental Council
Eliot Clay
Link to proposed CAFO NPDES General Permit: https://external.epa.illinois.gov/WebSiteApi/api/PublicNotices/GetDocument/11606
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