Democracy Rules

Today's factory livestock operations generate huge amounts of hog, chicken and cattle waste. Most of these feedlot operations store and evaporate this waste in large open lagoons, some of it to eventually be used as fertilizer. However, these manure pits can leak if retaining walls fail or if flooding or overfilling occurs. Advocates warn of serious health problems resulting from pathogens invading our water supply, not to mention the damage to air quality, fisheries and ecosystems. According to the EPA, feedlot waste discharges have been blamed for polluting at least 35,000 miles of our nation's rivers and streams, as well as contaminating groundwater supplies in at least 16 states. The EPA believes there are more than 20,000 large feedlots now operating in our country – of which less than half have federal effluent discharge permits. It reports that 75% of these operations are allowing pollutants into our waterways. Critics say the EPA has failed to enforce the 1972 Clean Water Act’s requirements on large animal feedlots. They claim the implementation of these regulations has been severely handicapped by legal loopholes and agribusiness influence.

Proposed Legislation: Reintroduction of House version of S.1407 - Concentrated Livestock Existing Alongside Nature Act (108th Congress 2003-2004)
Prospective Sponsor: Rep. Shelia Jackson Lee (TX)

If elected as a trustee, the campaign committee of Speaker Kevin McCarthy (CA) will be unconditionally awarded the funds pledged to this issue along with a letter requesting her to favorably consider blocking legislation related to livestock feedlot waste policy.
I support establishing an animal waste management program which requires animal owners to have an approved animal waste management plan designed to prevent the discharge of animal waste into surface or ground water; prohibiting the application of animal waste to land where the nitrogen or phosphorus would increase the risk of soil toxicity or surface or ground water pollution, and wish to donate resources to the campaign committee of Rep. Shelia Jackson Lee (TX) and/or to an advocate group currently working with this issue.

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I support establishing an animal waste management program which requires animal owners to have an approved animal waste management plan designed to prevent the discharge of animal waste into surface or ground water; prohibiting the application of animal waste to land where the nitrogen or phosphorus would increase the risk of soil toxicity or surface or ground water pollution, and wish to donate resources to the campaign committee of Rep. Shelia Jackson Lee (TX) and/or to an advocate group currently working with this issue.