A West Virginia poultry farmer’s lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency was recently decided in her favor by a federal judge. Farm groups are hailing the victory as the first step against federal overregulation of the farm sector.
For the past several years, the EPA has stepped up efforts to regulate farming and protect endangered ecosystems. Their most public battle took place in the Chesapeake Bay when the agency sought to tighten up regulations of sediment discharges into Chesapeake waterways.
While the agency and environmentalists have argued that increased regulation is necessary to protect the health and safety of the American people, farmers have argued that their efforts often go too far and are unnecessary.
The West Virginia lawsuit began in June of 2012 when the EPA threatened Lois Alt with tens of thousands of dollars in fines each time stormwater came into contact with the dust, feathers, and manure on Alt’s chicken farm. Claiming that the contact represented a regulated discharge, the EPA demanded that Alt obtain a Clean Water Act discharge permit.
Joined by the Farm Bureau as co-plaintiffs, a federal court ruled against the EPA, saving Alt from potentially devastating fines and clarifying environmental regulatory policy in the state.
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer