David Cassuto
From the Correcting Inane Regulations Desk:
One could say that EPA has regulated CAFOs under the Clean Water Act for years. Big Ag operations are required to obtain NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) permits for their discharges and consequently, the Agency has monitored such discharges and protected the public from the environmental hazards these operations create. Of course, if one said all that, one would be wrong
That´s how the story might read if we lived in a rational world. Instead, Industrial Ag operations can claim — without having to provide verification — that its facilities do not discharge into the waters of the U.S. Consequently, many CAFOs do not obtain permits, which means their discharges are not regulated. Continue reading
Filed under: animal advocacy, animal law, environmental law, factory farms | Tagged: animal advocacy, animal law, animal welfare, CAFOS, Clean Water Act, environmental advocacy, environmental ethics, environmental law, EPA, factory farms, farmed animals, industrial agriculture, industrial farming, NPDES, NRDC, Sierra Club, Waterkeeper | 3 Comments »