Report: NC Agribusiness Places Heavy Load on Water Quality
Thursday, July 14, 2016
NEW BERN, N.C. — The agriculture industry is one of the top contributors to the economy in North Carolina, but according to a new
Graves and other environmental groups are calling both on the industry to support food-production systems that will not harm water quality and on state government agencies to enforce the Clean Water Act.
A statement from Smithfield Foods - one of the companies named in the report - called the Environment North Carolina report a "political attack" and said their company has been limiting the application of manure to crops for the past 20 years.
One problem in North Carolina, said Graves, is the fact that state regulators allow a large majority of agricultural farms to apply for general permitting instead of permitting under the Clean Water Act, which requires more stringent practices in the handling of waste.
"It's been a gift to the industry, really, as far as saving them the cost and the type of environmental work that would be involved in having them all obtain a Clean Water Act permit,” Graves said. "So this general permit assumes, inexplicably, that all the pollution from these farms is contained on the farm. "
In 1995 and 2009, a series of fish kills on the Neuse River claimed more than 1 billion fish. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, agriculture is the probable cause of more than 145,000 miles of rivers and streams, 1 million acres of lakes and reservoirs, and 3,000 square miles of bays and estuaries becoming too polluted for recreation, wildlife and drinking water.
get more stories like this via email
Health and Wellness
Missouri residents are worried about future access to birth control. The latest survey from The Right Time, an initiative based in Missouri…
Social Issues
Wisconsin children from low-income families are now on track to get nutritious foods over the summer. Federal officials have approved the Badger …
Social Issues
Almost 2,900 people are unsheltered on any given night in the Beehive State. Gov. Spencer Cox is celebrating signing nine bills he says are geared …
Environment
New York's Legislature is considering a bill to get clean-energy projects connected to the grid faster. It's called the RAPID Act, for "Renewable …
Social Issues
Earlier this month, a new Arizona Public Service rate hike went into effect and one senior advocacy group said those on a fixed income may struggle …
Social Issues
Michigan recently implemented a significant juvenile justice reform package following recommendations from a task force made up of prosecutors…