Harrison Daily Times


Posted: Friday, August 16, 2013 3:06 pm |
Staff Report dailytimes@harrisondaily.com | 0 comments

LITTLE ROCK undefined Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe announced Friday that he will ask the Arkansas Legislative Council to authorize $250,000 to establish additional testing in areas on and near the C&H Hog Farm in Mt. Judea. He said the request is in response to numerous calls and e-mails from Arkansans who are worried about the potential environmental harm a hog farm could have on the Buffalo and its tributaries.

The governor said that money will be used so soil-and-water experts from the University of Arkansas will oversee that effort and determine the best areas to place monitoring wells and conduct tests. “This will allow us to more thoroughly determine if unsafe levels of waste could reach Big Creek and the Buffalo River, and to take preventive action if that occurs.”
Beebe’s Action

ISSUE: Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) permit in the Buffalo River watershed;
The governor explained that Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality is responsible for issuing permits to farmers who maintain livestock and poultry operations. ADEQ issues permits and guidelines instructing farms on the proper disposal of animal waste.
While that permitting process generally doesn’t attract much attention, “This year has been different because of the C&H Hog Farm in Newton County,” Beebe said. “This particular operation is near Big Creek, a tributary of the Buffalo River. There is concern, that despite regulatory requirements, waste from the thousands of animals could eventually find its way into the Buffalo.
“The Buffalo River is unquestionably a treasure, both for Arkansas and for America,” he continued. “As our country’s first national river, it has been a source of Natural State pride for generations.”
The governor explained that neither he nor his ADEQ director has the legal authority to unilaterally halt a properly permitted farming operation, or to declare an executive moratorium on such farms near certain bodies of water.
“When concern began to grow about the C&H Hog Farm, I had ADEQ officials review the entire permitting process to ensure that the farm’s owner had followed all state requirements and procedures,” the governor stressed. “And he had.
“The farm has plans in place to manage waste disposal and undergo regular testing and monitoring.”
While the state doesn’t have the authority to stop operation of a legally permitted farm, “We do have the authority to go above and beyond the required diligence for environmental monitoring.
“This is an extraordinary step that we do not deem necessary with other farms,” Beebe exclaimed, but he felt was warranted because of two concerns:
• The desire to preserve the pristine nature of the Buffalo River.
• C&H Hog Farm is the first in Arkansas to receive what is called a CAFO or Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation permit. The CAFO permit was created two years ago by a change in federal law, and this additional testing will help ensure unintended consequences do not result from that change.
“I have said, for years, that in most cases, a balance can be found between operating our businesses and caring for the environment,” the governor concluded. “My hope is that such a balance will be possible in Newton County.
“I recognize that the stakes are especially high when the Buffalo River is involved, and there may be future legislation proposed to address this specific issue. For the immediate future, I expect that this extra monitoring will put minds at ease and ensure that America’s first national river will always be protected and preserved.”