Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations: EPA Needs More Information and a Clearly Defined Strategy to Protect Air and Water Quality
Congressional Testimony
Description:... Concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFO) are large livestock and poultry operations that raise animals in a confined situation. CAFOs may improve the efficiency of animal production, but the large amounts of manure they produce can, if improperly managed, degrade air and water quality. The EPA requires CAFOs that discharge certain pollutants to obtain a permit. This testimony summarizes the findings of a Sept. 4, 2008 report on: (1) trends in CAFOs; (2) amounts of waste they generate; (3) findings of key research on CAFOs¿ health and environmental impacts; (4) progress made in developing CAFO air emissions protocols; and (5) the effect of recent court decisions on EPA¿s regulation of CAFO water pollutants.
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