ACTION ALERT: Proposed Legislation Weakens MN State Control Over Factory Farms

Call Your Representative, Senator & Speaker of the House Today

3/1/10
Bills proposed by Rep. Al Juhnke (House File 2659) and Sen. Steve Dille (Senate File 2734) lower state environmental standards for Minnesota’s largest factory farms. In Minnesota, we have set higher standards than minimal federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards for the largest factory farms. One way we have done this is by requiring in state law that factory farms over 1,000 animal units get a National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. This applies to roughly the largest 1,100 factory farms in our state—less than 4 percent of all feedlots.

Under these bills, feedlots over 1,000 animal units that merely certify that they do not intend to discharge to waters of the state would not be required to get a NPDES permit. This is the same as the lower federal standard adopted in 2008. In Minnesota, the NPDES permit has been a critical Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) tool for forcing factory farms to comply with environmental regulations.

Take Action! Contact your state Senator and Representative and the Speaker of the House TODAY and ask them to oppose this legislation.

• Your Representative’s name and contact information is available at 651-296-2146 or 800-657-3550.
• Your Senator’s information is available at 651-296-0504 or 888-234-1112. Both are online at http://www.gis.leg.mn/mapserver/districts.
• Speaker of the House Margaret Anderson Kelliher is at 651-296-0171.

Here is a suggested message:
“I am opposed to House File 2659 authored by Rep. Al Juhnke/ Senate File 2734 authored by Sen. Steve Dille. This bill lowers state standards for factory farms over 1,000 animal units, making them in effect as weak as federal standards. These feedlots make up only 4 percent of the total in our state, yet because of their multi-million gallon liquid manure lagoons, pose a disproportionately large pollution threat to our air and water. Under this bill, feedlots over 1,000 animal units that merely certify that they do not intend to discharge to waters of the state would not be required to apply for a National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. NPDES is the key permit the MPCA uses to regulate the manure storage and air emissions of factory farms. I urge you to oppose this bill.”

Further Background:
At the federal level EPA standards were weakened in 2008 so that factory farms over 1,000 animal units that certify that they do not plan to intentionally discharge waste to public waters are exempt from getting an NPDES permit. The Juhnke/Dille legislation proposes to lower our state standards to match the weaker federal rules. This effectively weakens the authority of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to regulate factory farms.

How large is 1,000 animal units?
1,000 animal units =
• 2,500 sows
• 10,000 swine under 55 pounds
• 1,000 head of cattle
• 700 dairy cows

According to the MPCA, there are more than 30,000 registered feedlots in Minnesota, but only 4 percent—about 1,100—are over 1,000 animal units. Yet because of the extremely large amounts of liquid manure they concentrate in one place, these facilities present a disproportionately large pollution risk to our air and water.

House File 2659 is online at: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/revisor/pages/search_status/status_detail.php?b=House&f=HF2659&ssn=0&y=2009

Senate File 2734 is online at: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/revisor/pages/search_status/status_detail.php?b=Senate&f=SF2734&ssn=0&y=0&ls=86

For more information:
Contact Bobby King, LSP state policy organizer at 612-722-6377 or bking@landstewardshipproject.org.

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