Clean Farms for a Clean Lake

Your action is needed by December 20th to help reduce farm pollution in Lake Champlain!  Please read the post below from the LCI website...

You may have heard before that about half of the phosphorus pollution that ends up in Lake Champlain each year comes from farms.  CAFOs (concentrated animal feeding operations), that is farms which hold several hundred to thousands of animals on one site, play a significant role in farm pollution.  There are more than 150 CAFOs in the Lake Champlain basin.

Currently, CAFOs do not release specific information to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)—information that would allow for better management of these facilities so water pollution runoff can be controlled more effectively.

EPA recently vowed to adopt a new rule that would require CAFOs around the U.S., including those within the Lake Champlain basin, to report basic information that would help reduce dangerous water pollution runoff.

EPA is requesting comments from the public on a proposed rule that will gather facility-specific information from CAFOs.  With your help and support, CAFOs will become more transparent, resulting in better pollution control measures that will help make our lake safer and healthier.

Please be sure to ask the EPA on or before December 20 to finalize this rule so we can all look forward to swimmable, drinkable, fishable Lake Champlain.

Thank you for your help.

...because a swimmable, drinkable, fishable Lake Champlain is the only answer.

Read the proposed rule in its entirety here.

Image: flickr user Socially Responsible Agriculture Project

---

Directions:

1) Type in your information (type EPA into the "Recipient name" text field).

2) COPY & PASTE ow-docket@epa.gov into the "Recipient e-mail address" text area.

3) COPY & PASTE the message below in blue text into the Message Area.  Feel free to customize it.  Note: Your name will automatically be entered below "Sincerely," when sent.

4) Press the "Send This Message" button.

⇒Check out other ways to protect Lake Champlain on the Take Action page.

Dear EPA,

I support the decision to collect information from CAFOs nationwide. This is a vital rule to finalize so that CAFOs can be better managed and harmful water pollution runoff is reduced.

Allowing CAFOs to withhold information as they currently do is dangerous for our waterways and waterbodies. I strongly support clean and safe water and feel that collecting more information from CAFOs will ultimately result in improved water safety and health. This will lead to more swimmable, drinkable, and fishable waters while enhancing economic opportunities that would otherwise be inhibited by poor water quality.

I intently encourage the EPA to implement its powers under the Clean Water Act, Section 308 to expeditiously approve the proposed reporting rule for all CAFOs. The rule should collect information including the location of the production area, the number and type of animals, and the volume of manure produced. This information should be collected regularly so to maintain up-to-date records.

Thank you for the opportunity to express my support for a new rule that collects information from CAFOs. Your consideration is appreciated.

Sincerely,