Make Your Voice Heard on CAFO Regulations!
CAFO General Permit Final Public Comment
The Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) has released the final drafts of its Concentrated Agricultural Feed Operations (CAFO) general permits (MO-G010000 and MO-GS10000) so that they are available for public comment.. This comment period is the last chance the public will get to voice their opinions on these general permits before they are finalized!
Many CAFOs apply to receive a general permit in order to operate in Missouri, so these documents play an important role in governing how they function. Improving these permits can help protect the people of Missouri and the environment from the numerous negative impacts caused by CAFOs.
These proposed general permits contain a big step forward as well as areas that need improvement. Let your voice be heard on this important issue by submitting a comment to MDNR!
Below are directions on how to submit your comment, a template to use while writing it, and some points that you may consider including!
Directions
Deadline: Nov 30th, 2022 at 5pm cst
Directions
- Include the Permit Numbers (MO-G01000, MO-GS10000) in your comment
- Keep in mind that MDNR can only consider comments about issues relating to the draft permits and their effect on water quality.
- Email your comment to: cafo@dnr.mo.gov
- Write “Public Comments on CAFO MGPs” in the subject line
- You can also mail your comment to Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Water Protection Program, ATTN: NPDES CAFO Operating Permits/ Permit Comments, PO Box 176, Jefferson City, MO 65102-017, postmarked by 5pm
- Feel free to use the template included on this post to write your comment!
More Information
You can read the text of MO-G010000 here and MO-GS10000 here. You can comment on these drafts separately or together.
For more information on CAFO permits in Missouri, including these proposed general permits, see here.
Comment Suggestions
Note: These comment suggestions apply to both MO-G010000 and MO-GS10000.
Support the New Waste Tracking Requirement:
Currently, waste generated by a CAFO and “exported” offsite is not tracked. It can be applied offsite anywhere and in any amount without this information being made public. Animal waste from CAFOs is a significant source of nonpoint source pollution and can result in unacceptable levels of nitrate, phosphorus, E. coli, and more in our waterways. Now MDNR is proposing that CAFOs report the specific HUC12 that the initial recipients of their waste are located in as well as the amount of waste the CAFO exports to them!
A HUC12 is a subregion of a watershed and there are 1,999 HUC12 regions in Missouri. This new provision is an important step forward in our ability to understand exactly where and how CAFO waste is impacting Missourians and the environment! MDNR should include waste tracking by volume and HUC12 location in the final permits!
Ask MDNR to Improve the Following:
The Largest CAFOs Should Require Site-Specific Permits
MDNR may allow the state’s largest classification of CAFOS (Class 1A, ex. confining more than 7,000 cattles or 17,500 hogs) to apply for these one-size-fits-all General Permits. These facilities should be regulated on a site-by-site basis to maximize public health and environmental protections! MDNR should require all Class 1A CAFOs to apply for site-specific operating permits.
CAFO Truck Washes Should Require Site-Specific Permits
These draft General Permits also propose to allow CAFOs to build industrial truck wash facilities that often use harsh chemicals and disinfectants to address the diseases that can take hold among animal populations in CAFOs. Truck washes at CAFOs should be issued site-specific permits to better protect against the pollution hazards posed by these types of operations.