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Proposed Rule Being Pushed by Waterkeepers Alliance Goes to Public Comment
In 2007, the Waterkeepers Alliance petitioned the NC Environmental Management Commission seeking the development of rules to assess alleged water quality impacts from animal feeding operations.
In 2008, the EMC approved the petitions and directed the Division of Water Quality, with input from various stakeholder groups, to develop rules to establish and implement a surface water monitoring program addressing the petitioners concerns.
The proposed rules define the process for establishing sampling locations at EACH subject animal operation. Specifically, the proposed rule would require farmers to collect up to three samples per year from three different sites. The samples are intended to determine the level of animal waste discharged into drains, ditches, and streams. Farmers would need to contract with outside commercial laboratories and it would cost livestock farmers about $2,200 annually to comply.
NCPC provided both written and oral comments on the petition and proposed rule and has been involved in the process since the stakeholder meetings began last year.
Our message has been the same throughout the process. First and foremost, NCPC is concerned over the lack of scientific basis for these proposed rules. Further, implementation of these proposed rules would be extremely costly for producers and would place an additional, unnecessary regulatory burden on the industry.
Finally, we believe that if petitioners are truly concerned about water quality issues, any proposed rules need to be focused on impaired watersheds and any evaluation should include all activities on those watersheds.
Now the rule-making process has moved to the public comment period. That process includes the opportunity for any citizen to comment by submitting remarks to the Division of Water Quality. The public comment period also includes a series of four public hearings as shown below. All hearings begin at 7:00 pm and registration for speakers begins at 6:30 pm. In order to ensure that all who want to speak have an opportunity, oral comments may be limited to three minutes. Speakers are encouraged to bring three written copies of their comments to be submitted to the hearing officers.
- June 9, 2009. Iredell County Center, 444 Bristol Drive, Statesville, NC.
- June 11, 2009. James Sprunt Community College - Monk Auditorium,
133 James Sprunt Drive, Kenansville, NC.
- June 15, 2009. Archdale Building - Ground Floor Hearing Room, 512 North Salisbury Street, Raleigh, NC.
- June 18, 2009. Martin Community College, 1161 Kehukee Park Road, Williamston, NC.
NCPC will be represented at each of these public hearings and those speaking on behalf of NCPC will also submit public comments.
We encourage NCPC members to participate in the public comment period. Written comments can be submitted until July 15, 2009, to the following:
Keith Larick
Animal Feeding Operations Unit
Division of Water Quality
1636 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1636
keith.larick@ncdenr.gov
(919) 715-0588 - Fax
If you have any questions or concerns on this issue, please contact Tommy Stevens at NCPC: 919/781-0361 or tommy@ncpork.org.
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 NCPC Lobby Day 2009
On Tuesday, May 15th, NCPC had our second annual biscuit hand out and lobby day event.
Over 30 producers, production employees, and allied partners came to the General Assembly to represent the pork industry.
As expected, the sausage biscuits - which were made with Neese's Country Sausage - were a big hit. As we handed out the biscuits, we had the opportunity to talk with lawmakers and staff and educated them about the importance of the industry to NC. NCPC members also met with House and Senate leaders in private meetings to talk about issues such as animal welfare, water rights, and the economy.
Thanks to all of you who participated!
(Above picture: Milo Lewis hands a biscuit to Rep. Marian McLawhorn (D-Pitt).)
Pork Producers talk with Rep. Mitch Gillespie (R- McDowell)
Sen. RC Soles (D-Columbus) with industry veteran Andy Smythe
NCPC lobbyist Steve Metcalf greets Sen. A.B. Swindell (D-Nash)
Curtis Barwick talks with Sen. Charlie Albertson (D- Duplin)
Sen. A.B. Swindell talks with pork producers.
NCPC President George Pettus, Miriam Lewis, and Rep. Van Braxton (D-Greene).
Sen. David Weinstein (D- Robeson) talks with pork producers.
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