Industrial-scale livestock operations, often referred to as “factory farms,” operate like sewerless cities, generating unsustainable amounts of waste that wreak havoc on surrounding communities and ecosystems.
Factory farms contaminate drinking water with cancer-causing nitrates, flood homes with waste during storms and natural disasters, and render water recreation unsafe.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for protecting waterways and communities from factory farm pollution. But for decades, it has failed to effectively regulate this dangerous industry — so we took EPA to court.
Over six years ago, Food & Water Watch filed a rulemaking petition with EPA on behalf of over 30 environmental and environmental justice groups, urging the agency to strengthen its clean water rules governing this industry. Last year, we sued EPA for a response. This week, the agency responded — they denied our petition.
Rather than moving forward with much-needed reforms, EPA has decided to form a Federal Advisory Committee subcommittee to study the factory farm pollution problem and make recommendations for the agency. The lengthy process, expected to begin in 2024 and last 12-18 months, means the Biden administration may miss the opportunity to strengthen its factory farm regulations.
This study really just means more delay — we already know that factory farms are polluting our waters and are dangerous to surrounding communities.
For more than 50 years, EPA’s neglectful approach to regulating factory farms has allowed the industry to freely pollute lands and waterways. The lack of urgency displayed in EPA’s decision doubles down on the agency’s failure to protect our water and those who rely on it — but the fight to safeguard clean water is far from over.
Our legal team at Food & Water Watch is considering all of our options moving forward. We won’t stop until the EPA finally holds factory farms accountable for their devastating impact on people and the planet.
Food & Water Watch and its affiliated organization, Food & Water Action, are advocacy groups with a common mission to protect our food, water and climate.
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