Another Win for Water
Press Release: June 9, 2023, In a court settlement filed today, DBD Washington, LLC and SMD, LLC, two factory farm dairies in Yakima Valley, WA owned by Austin Jack DeCoster, agree to clean up and limit water pollution in response to a lawsuit brought by Community Association of Restoration of the Environment (CARE), Friends of Toppenish Creek, and Center for Food Safety. Yakima residents affected by ongoing factory farm pollution brought the lawsuit in 2019 to stop contamination of local drinking water with animal waste from factory farm dairy operations.
Under the terms of the settlement, the dairies will help restore the aquifer by remediating nitrate and ammonia contamination beneath the facilities’ lagoons and fund research to compare two remediation methods that target shallow aquifers beneath porous soils. In order to prevent future pollution, the dairies will double line or close waste lagoons, install over a dozen groundwater monitoring wells, improve land application of waste to avoid further contamination, and make other improvements to the infrastructure for waste storage and transport. In the meantime, the dairies will fund alternative sources of clean drinking water for residents near the operations.
Press Release click HERE
Consent Decree click HERE
Ecology & WSDA Do Not Inspect Manure Lagoons
Unlined manure lagoons leak - a lot. Since 2015 the WA State Dept. of Ecology has claimed that inspection of WA manure lagoons is necessary to determine the amount of leakage. Those inspections are termed Tech Note 23 inspections.
Recently staff at the WSDA Dairy Nutrient Management Program have decided that Tech Note 23 inspections are invalid. Consequently there are no curren inspections of WA manure lagoons and no estimate of lagoon leakage. To read the history click HERE. To read FOTC concerns click HERE.
Lower Yakima Valley Monitoring Wells – 2021 to 2022
Results of groundwater monitoring by the Lower Yakima Valley Groundwater Managment Area Implementation Team to Winter 2022
|
Location Name |
Summer 2021 Nitrate N ppm |
Unsafe |
Fall 2021 Nitrate N ppm |
Unsafe |
Winter 2022 Nitrate N ppm |
Unsafe |
|
LYV-MW-001 |
8.3 |
8.2 |
8.37 |
|||
|
LYV-MW-002 |
3.83 |
3.77 |
3.81 |
|||
|
LYV-MW-003 |
36.8 |
* |
37.5 |
* |
37.1 |
* |
|
LYV-MW-004 |
7.5 |
4.3 |
5.2 |
|||
|
LYV-MW-005 |
21.4 |
* |
20.6 |
* |
20.3 |
* |
|
LYV-MW-006 |
||||||
|
LYV-MW-007 |
15.5 |
* |
15 |
* |
14.8 |
* |
|
LYV-MW-008 |
7.42 |
8 |
7.25 |
|||
|
LYV-MW-009 |
4.56 |
4.59 |
4.64 |
|||
|
LYV-MW-010 |
33.5 |
* |
29.6 |
* |
26.4 |
* |
|
LYV-MW-011 |
18.9 |
* |
18.5 |
* |
18.5 |
* |
|
LYV-MW-012 |
22.8 |
* |
22.3 |
* |
23 |
* |
|
LYV-MW-013 |
5.8 |
6.5 |
4.5 |
|||
|
LYV-MW-014 |
11.2 |
* |
11.1 |
* |
11.5 |
* |
|
LYV-MW-015 |
17.3 |
* |
18.2 |
* |
15.8 |
* |
|
LYV-MW-016 |
1.06 |
1.27 |
0.93 |
|||
|
LYV-MW-017 |
41.8 |
* |
40 |
* |
36 |
* |
|
LYV-MW-018 |
23.6 |
* |
23.2 |
* |
26.7 |
* |
|
LYV-MW-019 |
3.73 |
3.9 |
4.03 |
|||
|
LYV-MW-020 |
29 |
* |
25.8 |
* |
27.7 |
* |
|
LYV-MW-021 |
29.1 |
* |
25.9 |
* |
24.5 |
* |
|
LYV-MW-022 |
0.51 |
0.53 |
0.54 |
|||
|
LYV-MW-023 |
11.55 |
* |
8.8 |
10.85 |
* |
|
|
LYV-MW-024 |
3.23 |
3.13 |
3.05 |
|||
|
LYV-MW-025 |
5.1 |
5.45 |
4.8 |
|||
|
LYV-MW-026 |
24 |
* |
33 |
* |
24 |
* |
|
LYV-MW-027 |
||||||
|
LYV-MW-028 |
0.8 |
6 |
5.5 |
|||
|
LYV-MW-029 |
1.8 |
2.65 |
2.2 |
|||
|
LYV-MW-030 |
6.5 |
3.6 |
6.8 |
|||
|
LYV-MW-034 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|||
| Above 10 ppm |
14/29 |
13/29 |
14/29 |
|||
|
48% |
45% |
48% |
||||
For more information click HERE
From 2012 to 2019 a group of 23 stakeholders gathered data and formulated a plan to address groundwater pollution in the Lower Yakima Valley. The Program that resulted lacked a scientific foundation and failed to deliver clean drinking water to the people of the valley. The Friends of Toppenish Creek wrote a Minority Report that delineated our critique of the final document and also provided a better way forward.
Here are links to relevant documents
MR Executitive Summary en Espanol
Attachment 1 Quarterly Report Addendums
Attachment 2 Request for Identification
Attachment 3 Technical Memo 1
Attachment 4 Groundwater Monitoring QA/QC
Attachment 5 Deep Soil Sampling Plan Final
Attachment 6 Interim Final Groundwater Monitoring Plan
Attachment 7 Nitrogen Loading Assessment - Scope and Budget
Attachment 8 Ambient Monitoring Network Report
Attachment 9 GWMA Ambient Monitoring Network Report
Attachment 10 WA Attorney General WQ Presentation
Attachment 11 Deeo Soil Sampling PP
Attachment 12 Dairy Nutrient Management PP
Attachment 13 Pens & Corrals I
Attachment 14 Pens & Corrals II
Attachment 15 Pens & Corrals III
Attachment 16 DSS Report Fall 2014
Attachment 17 DSS Report Spring 2015
Attachment 18 DSS Report Fall 2015
Attachment 19 Lower Yakima Valley Groundwater Quality 2010
Attachment 20 FOTC Analysis of EPO Survey
Attachment 21 What will happen to the groundwater if we do nothing? 2015
Attachment 22 Second Opinion re the Interim Final Groundwater Monitoring Plan
Attachment 23 FOTC Analysis of DSS
Attachment 24 FOTC Analysis of corn/triticale in DSS
Attachment 25 FOTC Analysis of Nitrate Pathways
Attachment 26 Costs related to elevated nitrate in groundwater
Attachment 27 Comments on Nitrogen Loading Assessment - Mendoza
Attachment 28 Draft Analysis of USGS 2017 Sampling of Domestic Wells
Attachment 29 Research List - Health Problems Related to Nitrates in GW
Attachment 30 Estimated Nitrogen Available for Transport in the Lower Yakima Valley Groundwater Management Area, April 2017
Attachment 31 The Nitrogen Cycle - Cornell University
Attachment 32 Estimated Nitrogen Available for Transport in the Lower Yakima Valley Groundwater Management Area, June 2018
Attachment 33 Addressing a Regulatory Gap - RCW 90.64
Attachment 34 GWMA Work Plan Content and Milestones Evaluation
Attachment 35 EPA Nitrogen Budget 2012
Attachment 36 Hidden Wells, Dirty Water
Attachment 37 Initial BMP Data Base Summary
Attachment 38 E-mails Reddout and McKinney
Attachment 39 Minority Opinion re Nitrogen Loading Assessment Scope of Work
Attachment 40 Comments on Nitrogen Loading Assessment - Yakima Farm Bureau
Attachment 41 Comments on Nitrogen Loading Assessment - EPA
Attachment 42 Comments on Nigtrogen Loading Assessment - Lindsey
Attachment 43 Environmental Justice
Attachment 44 Ecology Analysis of Air Winter Nitrates - 2015
Attachment 45 Methemoglobinemia
Attachment 46 Estimated nitrogen concentrations in groundwater used for drinking - all states
Attachment 47 Research on Leakage and Infiltration from Lagoons
Attachment 48 List of Yakima Healthcare Providers
Attachment 49 CAFO Compost I
Attachment 50 CAFO Compost II
Attachment 51 Letter to Conservation Commission
Attachment 52 Conservation Commission Response I
Attachment 53 Conservation Commission Response II
Attachment 54 Composting Summary for Yakima Valley
Attachment 55 EPA Accomplishments
Attachment 56 Conditional Use Permit Application
Attachment 57 Mabton Water System Plan
Attachment 58 Potential Monitoring Well Locations
Attachment 59 Flawed Decision Making
Attachment 60 Emails re the Funding Work Group
Attachment 61 Suggested refinements to the Nitrogen Availability Assessment
Attachment 62 Letter re Alternative Solutions
Attachment 63 Alternative Solution Concerns
Attachment 64 Yakima Herald Republic - Utility Rates for Small Towns
Attachment 65 Erickson - Second Supplemental Report
Attachment 66 Summary of NRCS Soil Testing in the LYV
Attachment 67 Cost of Lliving for Poor Families in the LYV
Attachment 68 Domestic Wells Draft Analysis of 2017 USGS Study
Attachment 69 Relevant Stakeholders
Attachment 70 Atmospheric Deposition
Attachment 71 Atmospheric Deposition of Nitrogen - WSU
Attachment 72 USGS Power Point - Nitrate Models in the LYV
Attachment 73 Computerized Models
Attachment 74 Groundwater Studies by the Washington State Department of Ecology
Attachment 75 Environmental Report Tracking System Follow Up Form
Attachment 76 DNMP Implementation Progression
Attachment 77 FOTC Letter to Ecology December 2017
Attachment 78 FOTC Email to WSDA re NAA February 2018
Attachment 79 FOTC Email to Jim Davenport March 2018
Attachment 80 FOTC Email to Agforensics April 2018
Attachment 81 Mendoza Note to Stuart Turner
Attachment 82 GWMA: Reasons to Reject the May 2018 Voting on Proposed GWMA May 2019
Attachment 83 Unofficial Transcript: Testimony of Steve George before the House Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources, 2015
Attachment 84 Respect
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 16, 2016
Contacts:
Andrea Rodgers, Western Environmental Law Center, 206-696-2851, rodgers@westernlaw.org
Chris Wilke, Puget Soundkeeper, 206-297-7002, chris@pugetsoundkeeper.org
Helen Reddout, Community Association for Restoration of the Environment, 509-840-0335, hred1936@gmail.com
Jean Mendoza, Friends of Toppenish Creek, 509-874-2798, jeanrmendoza@icloud.com
Charlie Tebbutt, Law Offices of Charles M. Tebbutt, 541-285-3717, charlie@tebbuttlaw.com
Ecology's Draft CAFO Water Quality Permit Sacrifices Public
Health, Drinking Water, Shellfish Beds
SEATTLE – Yesterday, the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) issued a draft concentrated animal
feeding operation (CAFO) general discharge permit, replacing one that expired in 2011. Faced with the opportunity to
protect Washingtonians from industrial agriculture pollution, Ecology instead chose to ignore the recommendations of its
own scientists and bowed to "big ag," writing a convoluted, two-tiered draft permit that fails to protect our most
fundamental natural resource–clean water.
The 200,000 adult dairy cows in Washington state produce up to 20 million pounds of manure each day collectively. Too
much of this manure enters Washington’s surface and groundwater, causing significant public health and pollution
problems. For example, the Sumas-Blaine Aquifer in north Whatcom County, home to numerous industrial dairy farms, is
the major drinking water source for up to 27,000 residents. Ecology and the U.S. Geological Survey report 29 percent of
sampled wells in the aquifer exceed the nitrate maximum contaminant level (MCL), with 14 percent more than double the
MCL. Over-application of manure to fields as fertilizer is common practice and is estimated to contribute 66 percent of
nitrate inputs to these residents' water supply, and 58 percent of nitrate contamination in the Lower Yakima Valley, which
hosts the largest concentration of CAFOs in the state. Just last month Ecology issued a report confirming nitrate loading
due to over-application of manure from CAFOs "contributes significantly to groundwater nitrate contamination."
After being held hostage by the political influence of big ag during a five-year renewal process, the agency's proposed
permitting scheme does little to address this major source of water pollution. First, instead of issuing one permit that
prevents discharges of pollution to surface and groundwater, Ecology adopted big ag’s unsuccessful legislative attempt to
require a state-only permit for groundwater discharges. This regulatory regime does not require transparency and prevents
enforcement.
Second, Ecology disregarded the recommendations of its own scientific experts and did not require groundwater
monitoring as part of the permit, even though that monitoring is routine for industrial operations that discharge to
groundwater. Ecology has previously characterized groundwater monitoring as "the best indicator of risk."
Third, Ecology caved to big ag’s desire to avoid numeric manure application limits and limited soil sampling to two feet
instead of three feet, thereby inhibiting the agency’s ability to ensure CAFOs apply manure in a manner that protects
surface and groundwater.
Finally, Ecology illegally deferred to the Washington State Department of Agriculture, an agency with a proven track
record of failing to protect public health and prevent pollution from CAFOs, to determine which facilities should be
covered by a permit.
"It is truly unfortunate that Ecology has decided to disregard the science and develop a permitting scheme that fails to
protect the environment and public health," said Andrea Rodgers of the Western Environmental Law Center. "This
approach is yet another step backward and once again puts the burden on citizens to protect themselves from CAFO
pollution. We have readily available technological solutions to prevent the pollution and Ecology should be facilitating
those solutions, not standing in the way."
"Every citizen has a right to clean water. Pollution from industrial agriculture is choking our rivers, imperiling shellfish
and endangering salmon", said Chris Wilke of Puget Soundkeeper. "By removing citizen oversight, enforcement and
accountability, Ecology has done the ag lobby’s bidding, which does not bode well for our salmon or our waterways."
"After all these years, Ecology still doesn’t care about the people who suffer from CAFO pollution," said Helen Reddout,
president of the Community Association for Restoration of the Environment. "CARE has led the fight on behalf of the
public and the agencies have ignored the truth."
"In Yakima County, large dairies draw pure water from the deep aquifers for their cows and they pollute the shallow
aquifers that people use for domestic wells," said Jean Mendoza of Friends of Toppenish Creek. "Poor people can spend
over 5 percent of a family budget just for safe drinking water. The evidence is indisputable. Groundwater pollution comes
from the dairies. The groundwater feeds the Lower Yakima River, the second most polluted river in the state. This permit
must be stronger and enforceable."
Charlie Tebbutt, an attorney who successfully prosecuted a drinking water contamination case against three large dairy
CAFOs in the lower Yakima Valley, said "This proposed permit is nothing more than the stuff it is supposed to regulate.
Director Bellon has chosen to continue to put the health of tens of thousands of Washingtonians at risk, just like her
predecessors. It is shameful."
To protect Washington families, friends, and neighbors from being exposed to dangerous levels of nitrates, fecal coliform,
and other pollutants in their drinking water, Ecology must incorporate the following provisions in its final permit:
• Mandatory groundwater monitoring
• Science-based manure application requirements and restrictions
• Science-based riparian buffers for salmon-bearing streams
• Implementation of best technology for CAFO operations such as synthetically-lined manure lagoons and other
known and reasonably available technologies to eliminate discharges to surface and groundwater
Ecology is accepting public comments on the permit through 5:00 pm on August 17, 2016. Public hearings will be held on
Tuesday July 26, 2016 at 6:00 pm at Whatcom Community College and Thursday July 28, 2016 at 6:00 pm at the Yakima
Convention Center. Ecology will also be holding a webinar on the draft permit on Wednesday July 27 at 2:00 pm.
Background:
Washington is home to over 400 dairies, with an average herd size of 500 cows. Dairies with more than 500 cows
represent more than three fourths of the state’s production. The vast majority of these operations are CAFOs, in which
animals are not kept in grazing pastures, but packed together in barns and feedlots, standing in their own waste every day
of the year. An adult dairy cow generates 120 pounds of manure per day. The 200,000 adult dairy cows in Washington
produce up to 20 million pounds of manure each day, collectively. Much of this manure is getting into Washington’s
surface and groundwater, causing significant public health and pollution problems.
Agencies have found that all unlined manure storage lagoons leak at least 1,000 gallons per day per acre. There are
approximately 415 unlined manure storage lagoons in close proximity to the waters that feed Puget Sound, all of which
are contributing nitrates, fecal coliform, and other pollutants to the waters of the state.
Groundwater is the drinking water supply for approximately 60% of people who reside in Washington state. Several areas
of the state with high concentrations of CAFOs, including the Sumas-Blaine Aquifer and the Lower Yakima Valley, have
been found to have high levels of nitrates in drinking water. Nitrates are toxins. High doses particularly threaten pregnant
mothers, babies, and seniors, causing methemoglobinemia, or "blue baby syndrome," which can be fatal.
The Washington Department of Health, other agencies and tribal governments have confirmed that manure from dairy
CAFOs is largely responsible for the shellfish bed closures that have plagued Puget Sound.
In January 2015, federal district judge Thomas Rice found that Cow Palace Dairy, a large CAFO in the Lower Yakima
Valley, was creating a public health risk by over-application of manure and leaking manure lagoons. The judge found that
the dairy’s lagoons leaked a minimum of three million gallons per year, contributing to the contamination of nearby
drinking water wells. Local citizens and the Dairy agreed to strict operational changes to remedy the problems, and
Ecology has ignored these basic technological fixes.
Report:
Agricultural Pollution in Puget Sound: Inspiration to Change Washington's Reliance on Voluntary Incentive Programs to
Save Salmon
Maps:
Puget Sound lagoon distance from nearest water body map: http://bit.ly/1MZnLzz
Whatcom and Skagit Counties distance from nearest water body map: http://bit.ly/1SkvfzX
Whatcom and Skagit County lagoon excavation depth map: http://bit.ly/1feWygS
###
___________________________________________________
PARA PUBLICACION INMEDIATA
16 juno 2016
Contactos:
Andrea Rodgers, Western Environmental Law Center, 206-696-2851, rodgers@westernlaw.org
Chris Wilke, Puget Soundkeeper, 206-297-7002, chris@pugetsoundkeeper.org
Helen Reddout, Community Association for Restoration of the Environment, 509-840-0335, hred1936@gmail.com
Jean Mendoza, Friends of Toppenish Creek, 509-874-2798, jeanrmendoza@icloud.com
Charlie Tebbutt, Law Offices of Charles M. Tebbutt, 541-285-3717, charlie@tebbuttlaw.com
Proyecto de Ecología CAFO Calidad del Agua Permiso sacrificios públicos Salud, agua potable, bancos de mariscos
SEATTLE - Ayer, el Departamento de Ecología del Estado de Washington (Ecología) anuncio un permiso preliminar a sobre la alimentación concentrados de animales (conocido con las sigas CAFO en inglés) reemplazando el permiso que expire en 2011. Enfrentados con la oportunidad de proteger los ciudadanos de Washington de la contaminación industrial de la agricultura, el Departamento de Ecología optó a ignorar las recomendaciones de sus propios científicos y cedido al lado del “gran agricultura (ag)” escribiendo un permiso muy complicado, negándonos el derecho más básico – agua limpia.
Colectivamente, las vacas lecheras en el Estado de Washington producen hasta 20 millones libras de estiércol cada día. Gran parte de este estiércol entra en aguas superficiales y subterráneas de Washington, causando problemas en la salud del público y en la contaminación del agua. Por ejemplo, los Sumas-Blaine Acuífero en el norte del Condado de Whatcom, el hogar con muchos tambos industriales, la fuente más importante de agua potable para los 27,000 residentes. Ecología y el Servicio Geológico de EE.UU. reportan 29 por ciento de pozos muestreados en el acuífero superan el nivel máximo de contaminación de nitratos (MCL), con 14 por ciento más del doble de la MCL. La aplicación excesiva de estiércol a los campos como fertilizante es una práctica común y se estima que el 66 por ciento de los nitratos entrañan al agua de estos residentes, y en el Valle Bajo del condado de Yakima, como 58 por ciento de la contaminación por nitratos, la área con el mayor concentración de CAFO en el estado. Apenas el mes pasado Ecología emitió un reporte que confirma la carga de nitrato debido al sobre-aplicación de estiércol de las CAFO "contribuye significantemente la contaminación de las aguas subterráneas por caso de nitratos.”
Después de haber sido secuestrada por la influencia política de gran agricultura “ag” durante un proceso de renovación que duro cinco años, el permiso promovido por de la agencia hace poco para afrontar la tema importante de la contaminación del agua. Primero, en lugar de emitir un permiso que evita las descargas de la contaminación de aguas superficiales y subterráneas, Ecología adoptó el propósito legislativo sometido por la industria de agricultura que fallo que requerida un permiso por el estado para las descargas de aguas subterráneas. Este permiso no requiere transparencia y evita ejecución de la aplicación.
En segundo lugar, Ecología omitió las recomendaciones de sus propios expertos científicos y no requirió el monitoriamente del agua subterránea como parte del permiso, a pesar de que el monitoriamente es parte de la rutina para las operaciones industriales que descargan a las aguas subterráneas. Anteriormente, Ecología ha caracterizado el monitoreo del agua subterránea como "el mejor indicador de riesgo".
En tercer lugar, Ecología cedió al deseo de AG para evitar límites numéricos de aplicación de estiércol y limitó los muestras de la tierra a dos pies en lugar de tres pies, lo cual inhibe la capacidad de la agencia para asegurar que CAFO están aplicando el estiércol de una manera que protege la superficie y las aguas subterráneas.
Por último, Ecología diferido ilegalmente al Departamento de Agricultura, una agencia con un historial probado de no proteger la salud pública y evitar la contaminación de las CAFO del estado de Washington, para determinar qué instalaciones deben estar cubiertos por un permiso.
“Es verdaderamente lamentable que la Ecología decidido hacer caso omiso de la ciencia y el desarrollo de un esquema que no protege el medio ambiente y la salud pública", dijo Andrea Rodgers del Centro de Derecho Ambiental occidental. "Este enfoque es otro paso para atrás y una vez más pone la carga sobre los ciudadanos para protegerse de la contaminación CAFO. Tenemos soluciones tecnológicas fácilmente disponibles para prevenir la contaminación y Ecología debe usar estas soluciones, no interponerse en el camino.” "Todos los ciudadano tienen el derecho a agua limpia. Contaminación por la agricultura industrial está asfixiando nuestros ríos, poniendo en peligro los mariscos y poniendo en peligro el salmón", dijo Chris Wilke de Puget Soundkeepers. "Al quitarle el control, ejecución y la rendición de la gente, Ecología hico el mandato de agricultura, que no es un buen augurio para nuestra salmón o las vías fluviales."
"Después de todos estos años, Ecología todavía no se preocupa por las personas que sufren por la contaminación CAFO," dijo Helen Reddout, presidente de la Asociación de la Comunidad para la Restauración del Medio Ambiente. "CARE ha llevado la lucha a favor del público y las agencias han ignorado la verdad."
"En el condado de Yakima, lecherías grandes atraen agua pura de los acuíferos profundos para sus vacas y contaminan los acuíferos poco profundos que la gente usa para pozos domésticos," dijo Jean Mendoza de Amigos de Toppenish Creek. "La gente pobre usar 5 por ciento de un presupuesto familiar sólo en agua potable. La evidencia es indiscutible. Contaminación del agua subterránea proviene de las industrias lácteas. El agua subterránea alimenta el bajo Río Yakima, el rio segundo más contaminado en el estado. Este permiso debe ser más fuerte y ejecutable".
Charlie Tebbutt, un abogado que tuvo éxito con un caso de contaminación del agua potable contra tres grandes CAFO lecherías en el Valle Bajo de Yakima, dijo: "Este permiso propuesto no es más que las cosas que se supone que debe regular. Directora Bellon ha optado seguir poniendo la salud de cientos de miles ciudadanos de Washington en riesgo, al igual que sus predecesores. Es una vergüenza".
Para proteger a las familias de Washington, amigos y vecinos de la exposición de nitratos a niveles peligrosos, coliformes fecales y otros contaminantes en el agua potable, Ecología debe incorporar las siguientes disposiciones en su permiso final:”
• Obligar el monitoreo del agua subterránea
• Requisitos y restricciones de aplicación de estiércol basadas en la ciencia
• Zonas de amortiguación ribereñas basadas en la ciencia para las corrientes portadoras de salmón
• Implementación de la mejor tecnología para las operaciones de CAFO, como las lagunas de estiércol alineados sintéticamente y otras tecnologías conocidas y razonablemente disponibles para eliminar los vertidos a la superficie y la ecología de las aguas subterráneas. Ecologia está aceptando comentarios del público sobre el permiso a las 5:00 pm el 17 de agosto de 2016.
Ecología está aceptando comentarios del público sobre el permiso hasta las 5:00 pm el 17 de agosto 2016. Las audiencias públicas tendrán acabo el martes 26 julio 2016 a las 6:00 pm en el Colegio Comunitario de Whatcom y el jueves 28 de julio 2016 a las 6:00 pm en el Centro de Convenciones de Yakima. Ecología también llevará a cabo un seminario sobre el propuesto del permiso, el miércoles 27 de julio a las 2:00 pm.
Historial:
En el estado de Washington hay más de 400 lecherías, con un tamaño medio rebaño de 500 vacas. Lecherías con más de 500 vacas representan más de tres cuartos de la producción del estado. La gran mayoría de estas operaciones son las CAFO, donde los animales no se llevan a los campos de pastoreo, pero solamente en los establos y corrales de engorde, de pie en sus propios desechos todos los días del año. Una vaca lechera adulta genera 120 libras de estiércol por día. Las 200.000 vacas adultas lecheras en Washington producir hasta 20 millones de libras de estiércol cada día, colectivamente. Gran parte de este estiércol se está metiendo y contaminando las aguas superficiales y subterráneas de Washington causando problemas grandes en la salud pública.
Las agencias han descubierto que todas las lagunas de almacenamiento de estiércol sin forro fugas a lo menos 1,000 galones por día por acre. Hay aproximadamente 415 lagunas de almacenamiento de estiércol sin forro en las proximidades de las aguas de Puget Sound, todos los cuales contribuyen nitratos, coliformes fecales y otros contaminantes a las aguas del estado.
El agua subterránea es el abastecimiento de agua potable para aproximadamente 60% de las personas que residen en el estado de Washington. Varias áreas del estado con altas concentraciones de CAFO, incluyendo los Sumas-Blaine Acuífero y el Valle Bajo de Yakima, tienen altos niveles de nitratos en el agua potable. Los nitratos son toxinas. Las dosis altas ponen en riegos las madres embarazadas, bebés y personas mayores, causando metahemoglobinemia o "síndrome del bebé azul", que puede ser fatal.
El Departamento de Salud, otras agencias y gobiernos de las tribus de Washington han confirmado que el estiércol de las CAFO lácteos es en gran parte responsable de la supresión de camas para cría de moluscos que han afectado a Puget Sound.
En enero de 2015, el juez federal Thomas Rice decidió que la lechería, Palacio de Vacas, una gran CAFO en el Valle Bajo de Yakima, estaba poniendo en riesgo la salud pública por causa de aplicación de estiércol y fugas de las lagunas de estiércol. El juez consideró que las lagunas de la leche filtraron un mínimo de tres millones de galones por año, lo que contribuye a la contaminación de pozos de agua potable cercanos. Los ciudadanos locales y la lechería estuvieron de acuerdo con los cambios operativos estrictos para remediar los problemas, y Ecología ha ignorado estas soluciones tecnológicas básicas.
Reporte:
La Contaminación Agrícola en Puget Sound: La Inspiración para Cambiar la Dependencia de Washington Sobre los Programas de Incentivos Voluntarios para Proteger Salmón
Mapas:
Puget Sound: Mapa de Distancia de Lagunas a las Aguas Más Cercanas: http://bit.ly/1MZnLzz
Whatcom y los Condados de Skagit; Mapa de Distancia de Lagunas a las Aguas Más Cercanas: http://bit.ly/1SkvfzX
Whatcom y el Condado de Skagit: Mapa de Lagunas de Profundidad de Excavación: http://bit.ly/1feWygS