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The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), established in 1970, is a federal United States agency rooted in Washington D.C. Which mainly consists of environmentalists, engineers, and professional conservationists (EPA, 2020) As a cohesive whole, the agency administers environmental assessments, extensive analysis and/or research, as well as education. The EPA’s intentions are entirely to protect public health and maintain a desirable environmental state. When Congress approves an environmental law the EPA is called upon to implement a set of designed regulations. With additional responsibilities to enforce and maintain those environmental laws; Particularly that align with tribal, state, as well as local governments.

Such authoritative environment actions include, the oversee of Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations. The EPA is considered lead regulator of concentrated waste generated from animal agricultural feeding operations.

Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations(CAFOs)

Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) are agricultural operations in which animals are kept and raised in confined situations (EPA, 2019). Operations consist of a small piece of land in which crowds of domesticated animals, manure, feed, dead carcass’s are kept for production purposes. Currently, 450,000 CAFOS are active throughout the United States.

Air Emissions Associated

Numerous air pollutants are associated to Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations through a variety of entry points; Particularly, CAFOs account for over 168 different gas emissions (Sierra Club, 2019). The most commonly known, ammonia. While it’s safely utilized for certain cleaning products, an excessive amount has the potential to be deadly. Other released hazardous pollutants include methane which significantly contributes to the increase of atmospheric greenhouse gases. Also, hydrogen sulfide which formulates through waste processing. Other hazardous emissions include volatile organic compounds, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, particulate matter, malodorous gases, etc.

The Clean Air Act is a law that defines EPA’s set duties to protect and improve the collective air quality of the nation(EPA, 2019). Although, the CAA does not require CAFOs to self regulate or report their cumulative release of air emissions.

Water Pollutants Associated

Ground as well as surface water are an easy target for CAFO waste contamination. To start the use soil for farm fields, derived from livestock waste, with an intention of an outwards spread to the field’s drains (Sierra Club, 2019). Bacterial pathogens are prevalent throughout this manure. Bacteria seeps through soil and attaches to the ground water below. Other forms of CAFO material are also found within shallow groundwater, this includes a range of veterinary pharmaceuticals, metabolic hormones, and steroid hormones (Bartelt-Hunt, pg. 3) In context of surface water contamination, manure soil is also one of the biggest contributor. To illustrate, rain water carries the active bacterial pathogens and other chemical forms to near by streams and rivers. Eventually making its way to contribute to the major waterway systems. Or, commonly known as animal agricultural runoff; The lead contributor to ocean dead zones, hyperactive aquatic plant growth, disruption of ecosystems, decreases in biodiversity, etc.

The EPA’s established National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) holds regulation authority over point sources which are actively known for releasing pollutants within the United States waterway systems. The program has officially been authorized by the EPA in all but four states within the U.S (EPA, 2020). Regardless of, the agency is still considered responsible for implementations to those states not categorized under the NPDES program provisions. Compliance monitoring contains a variety of tools that help accurately measure and maintain water pollutants. Such techniques include Discharge Monitoring Report reviews, on site compliance evaluations, and voluntary support to CAFOS seeking assistance in regard to the agreements over NPDES permits (EPA, 2020). An operation must seek an approved state permit which allows conditions to discharge within the waterway system. That is, they may dump waste according to their evaluation and set permit conditions. However, the Environmental Protection Agency as well as state officials possess full authority to ensure compliance to the granted permit. For instance, frequent inspections based upon public complaints, anonymous tips, random generations, previous history, etc.

Defined under the EPA’s Clean Water Act is Concentrated Agricultural Feeding Operations (CAFOS) as point source discharges (EPA, 2019). Revisions to environmental quality called for stricter discharge regulations because animal agricultural operations were no longer allowed to openly release waste without EPA or state approval; Specifically, any CAFO was now required to obtain an approved NPDES permit. Along with an cohesive agreement, each operations was required to follow a list of set stipulations or regulations. Compliance is an essential portion of the NPDES permit. Under the Clean Water Act, CAFOS are listed to involuntarily and periodic inspections carried out by EPA or state officials. Compliance in context of full disclosure of operation records, nutrient plans for livestock, permits, reports, etc. CAFOs collective regulation depends heavily on self-responsibility; More so, they must ensure their operations are always in compliance with NPDES permits (EPA, 2019).

The EPA in Action

For example, intensive industrial pig farming; with it being another sub sector associated with CAFOS. Along with wide spread operation, follows great environmental concern. Being that the general domain of state consists of thousands of overcrowded pigs and other domesticated farm animals. A perfect opportunity of vulnerability in which feces and other hazardous pollution is released right back into the environment. Particularly, potential for toxic ground, air, and water pollution to be easily spread to nearby communities; Negatively effecting the public health as well as attribution towards long-term environmental damage. Hence, a need for continuous EPA involvement in context of hazardous pollutant regulations, production and/or manufacturing, as well as policy.

In 2014, National Geographic produced a magazine piece that identified and exposed the tremendous and concerning amount of CAFO waste that had accumulated in North Carolina during Hurricane Florence:

Agricultural swine operations typically store feces and other waste within large creeks referred to as lagoons. Such lagoons are a combustion of pathogens that range from Salmonella to Nitrogen to Phosphorous. Evidently, toxic material is being generated with an evenly high environmental risk. Spills from such lagoons are one of the most active contributors to pollution. In addition to toxic nutrients, like ammonia or nitrate, that seep deep and reflect into the water table; This directly affects local groundwater utilized for drinking. In addition to its drastic contribution to growth of algae blooms. Many businesses lack equipment and technology needed to efficiently carry concentrated feeding operations; With that being stated, environmental conditions continue to deteriorate as an accidental intention. Although, not all incidences can be seen from an apologetic standpoint view. For instance, a 2014 North Carolina scenario witnessed deliberate unruly authority over a swine concentrated feeding operation. Not only was feces waste left, but they were also purposely released into the waterway systems of the surrounding communities.

Before occurrence of Hurricane Florence, EPA regulation as well as involvement was increasingly more than what it is today. For example, limited attention given to CAFOs during the Trump administration. In late August a quiet announcement was made that the EPA’s central focus was essentially updating; Shifting to a decline in enforcement over Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (Baron, 2017). Moreover, a complete pause because issuance of compliance is no longer a vital factor in smooth CAFO’s.

However once the hurricane had hit, both the environment and public health was suffering; Hence, the EPAs responsibility to take action to protect both parties drastically impacted. To gain a better understanding of the damage caused, EPA agents travelled to North Carolina to sit down with 60 neighbors of the CAFOs and interview them (Yeoman, 2019). Although, the EPA did fail to release the environmental reports constructed unless a significant finding was found. But, in response to individual as well as environmental damage the EPA wrote a civil rights complaint on behalf of the people.

Sources

Bartelt-Hunt, S., Snow, D. D., Damon-Powell, T., & Miesbach, D. (2011). Occurrence of steroid hormones and antibiotics in shallow groundwater impacted by livestock waste control facilities. Journal of Contaminant Hydrology, 123(3–4), 94–103. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jconhyd.2010.12.010

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (2020, December 23). Clean Water Act (CWA) Compliance Monitoring. US EPA. https://www.epa.gov/compliance/clean-water-act-cwa-compliance-monitoring

Baron, V. (2019). Before Florence, EPA Weakened Protections for CAFO Neighbors. NRDC. https://www.nrdc.org/experts/valerie-baron/florence-epa-weakened-protections-cafo-neighbors

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (2020, December 23). Clean Water Act (CWA) Compliance Monitoring. US EPA. https://www.epa.gov/compliance/clean-water-act-cwa-compliance-monitoring

Sierra Club. (2019, March 18). Why are CAFOs bad? https://www.sierraclub.org/michigan/why-are-cafos-bad