Help Stop Factory Farm Waste from Being Dumped into the Upper Duck River Watershed

 

In April, SOCM got word that a concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) applied for a permit to dump waste from a 1,800 head mega-dairy (1,500 wet cows and 300 dry cows) into Clem Creek in Bedford County. Residents in Bedford, Marshall, Maury and surrounding counties are concerned about the possibility of contamination of their drinking water, as Clem Creek is part of the Upper Duck River watershed.

 

SOCM and our allies from Unionville, Rover, Chapel Hill, Lewisburg and Shelbyville are opposed to the CAFO and have asked the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) to deny the permit for California-based Nash Dairy Company. The proposed CAFO would be located at 3983 Highway 41A North in Chapel Hill.

 

On Tuesday, June 25th at 6 pm CT, a public hearing will be held for affected residents to voice their concerns. The hearing will be in the cafeteria of the Forrest School at 310 North Horton Parkway in Chapel Hill. If you are interested in attending, please contact Middle Tennessee Organizer Brad Wright at brad@socm.org or 615-355-9356. He is helping SOCM members prepare to speak at the hearing.

 

If you cannot make it to the hearing, please consider sending in comments opposing the permit. Written testimony will be accepted for 10 working days following the hearing, and will be considered part of the hearing record. Comments should focus on water quality and reference permit #SOP-13007. Comments can be sent to:

Division of Water Resources

401 Church Street

L&C Annex, Sixth Floor

Nashville, TN 37243

ask.tdec@tn.gov

 

Factory farms have a decades-long history of polluting water, air, and soil, decreasing property values, threatening human health, damaging roads and adversely affecting smaller family farms. Help our members in middle Tennessee stop this threat before it becomes a reality.