State notice on Arkansas hog farm issued Agency draft of permit denial opens public comment period By Emily Walkenhorst Posted: September 18, 2018 at 4:30 a.m. Arkansas environmental regulators issued Monday their public notice of a draft decision to deny a new operating permit to a large hog farm in the […]
Reputation is sullied The hog farm at Mount Judea has not only damaged the Buffalo River, it has injured the reputation of the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality. I can’t think of another state agency held in such low regard. To the folks who work at the department, I ask […]
Tracking science Contamination source obvious By David Peterson Special to the Democrat-Gazette Posted: September 17, 2018 at 2:44 a.m. Jack Boles, president of the Newton County Farm Bureau, has questioned a column by Mike Masterson which quotes from the Big Creek Research and Extension Team’s recent report of monitoring of […]
State recommends denial of new permit for C and H Hog Farm Posted By Max Brantley on Mon, Sep 17, 2018 at 9:53 AM The Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality has recommended denial of a new permit for discharge of waste by the C and H Hog Farm in Newton County. Reasons cited include the underlying karst geology, which can allow waste […]
Case for prosecution In his presentation for the defense, retired Cajun lawyer Edward Chevallier has said that the hog farm waste is but a drop in the river compared to the rest of the animals that live in the drainage area. I wish to present a set of facts that […]
MIKE MASTERSON: More at risk Toxins in our river By Mike Masterson Posted: September 16, 2018 at 4:30 a.m. Carol Bitting has long been a staunch champion for our Buffalo National River, identified last year by readers of USA Today as the state’s greatest attraction. She is one of many who have dedicated […]
Protecting Buffalo River won’t harm small farms Small farms and the Buffalo River have coexisted for hundreds of years without excessive pollution of the first national river in America. The concentrated animal feeding operation issue is not “river vs. farmers” regardless of what politicians say. Truthfully, these small farms exist today […]
Arkansans should take action for the Buffalo Bill Underwood’s Sept. 5 letter to the editor focused meaningfully on the disastrous polluting hog farming near our national treasure, the Buffalo River. How can we, the concerned, attempt to make a difference? Two thoughts: We Arkansas residents could write the Department of Environmental […]
Not part of problem Protecting the water, air and wild places that we all need is going to require well-informed, scientifically sound discussion. Comparing two million gallons of factory-produced hog manure to wild deer poop is not well-informed or scientifically sound. The hog manure is the residue left over from […]
Must protect the river I am a supporter and admirer of the Buffalo River. I don’t want to see our beautiful river that has been tirelessly protected to be polluted by anyone. I commend the writer John Kimbrow referred to and think his criticism of the subject choice to be […]
Act now to seek help for creek, Buffalo River In July 2018, the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality released a proposed list of impaired water bodies in Arkansas. Although the list is comprehensive and they used good science to develop it, the categorization of some identified impaired waters is faulty. […]
Defend Buffalo River I am grateful for the articles, editorials, and letters this newspaper has published recently on the need for action to defend and preserve our precious Buffalo River. The Department of Environmental Quality says there will be a period for public comment, but has not yet announced the […]
MASTERSON ONLINE: Flowing toward ruin By Mike Masterson Posted: September 8, 2018 at 2:35 a.m. I get it that some readers out there hope the blue-sky day will dawn when I’ll not write another word about the ongoing disgraceful contamination of our majestic Buffalo National River. But it has long been […]
Address the hog farm Arkansas has been reading about this CAFO in the Buffalo watershed for going on five years, with many thanks to a columnist in this paper, Mike Masterson. But … it’s still there. Why? I think three truths about human nature are at fault. First, ignorance. Most […]
Preserve our treasure The Buffalo River is a true treasure and gem that must be preserved. I grew up in Dust Bowl Oklahoma where there were few streams, and no lakes or rivers. The few streams were weak, muddy, and flowed only occasionally. The only bodies of water were stock […]
Uphold permit denial A huge, toxic algae bloom has now polluted 17 to 30 miles of Big Creek, the Buffalo River, and even the White River, and become a health hazard. Recently I attended a meeting of the Pollution Control and Ecology Commission to decry our so-called environmental quality department’s […]
Wildlife not the same as hogs on a farm A small note of observation of a retired le- gal opinion from a non-Arkansawer regarding a claim that there is no to very little difference of damage done by the “several thousand hogs” compared to the “millions of deer, elk, bear […]
Arkansasonline Environmental Workbook by Emily Walkenhost Appeal of permit for manure tossed An appeal over an approved permit modification for land application of hog manure as fertilizer was dismissed by the Arkansas Court of Appeals last week. Attorneys for Ellis Campbell of EC Farms argued that the appeal filed by […]
Arkansasonline Studies ignoredSwine factoryBy Mike Masterson Widely respected hydrogeologist Thomas Aley, president of the Ozark Underground Laboratory in Protem, Mo., completed in May his investigation into the suitability of issuing a new Regulation 5 animal liquid waste permit to C&H Hog Farms.Aley’s extremely detailed study concluded absolutely not, while emphasizing […]
Arkansasonline A defender of natural Arkansas By RICHARD MASON Special to the Democrat-Gazette Posted: August 26, 2018 at 2 a.m. My favorite Broadway play is Les Miserables, in which Jean Valjean sings “Who am I?… I’m Jean Valjean … 24601!” It’s his confession that he is the escaped prisoner. After writing […]