This summary provides abridged excerpts from a collection of resources summaries found on the website.
EPA Letter of Concern Regarding the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Conduct
Original Summary by Susan Stork
This 2017 letter was written by Lilian S. Dorka, the executive director of the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) External Civil Rights Compliance Office (ECRO) to William G. Ross Jr., the Acting Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NC DEQ). It details a complaint against NC DEQ by community groups on behalf of North Carolina residents, and the ECRO’s investigation.
The initial complaint stems from a 2014 renewal of a Swine Waste General Permit made by NC DEQ, which the Complainants allege was a discriminatory act by the NC DEQ against the majority African American, Latino, and Native American residents surrounding the industrial swine operations covered by the permit. The complaint alleges that the permit was granted without sufficient measures in place to handle the animal waste produced from these facilities. Residents reported adverse impacts such as severely restricted outdoor activity due to the stench, loss of community from residents moving away, and an increase in respiratory illnesses among other things. Additionally, the letter outlines another complaint that was filed and being investigated by the ECRO alleging that NC DEQ violated the EPA’s regulations prohibiting retaliation and intimidation of the Complainants.
“Some [residents] described feeling as though they are prisoners in their own homes.
Lilian S. Dorka, the executive director of the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) External Civil Rights Compliance Office (ECRO)
‘Towns Just Turned to Dust’: How Factory Hog Farms Help Hollow out Rural Communities
Original Summary by Marci Regambal
This 2022 article published in The Guardian examines the effects of intensive hog farming on communities, with a focus on Iowa. It details findings from a report published by Food and Water Watch, which analyzed data from census questionnaires, the US Department of Agriculture and other sources. Some of the findings reported include that Iowa hog production has significantly increased since 1982 with a simultaneous 90% decrease in the number of hog farms and a 20-fold increase in the number hogs marketed per farm. Accompanying this consolidation and growth has been a loss of retail business, fewer grocery stores, a declining population, and higher unemployment.
The Spatial Organization of CAFOs and its Relationship to Water Quality in the United States
Original Summary by Anika Amidon and Marci Regambal
This article is behind a paywall. It has been summarized below based on the content of the abstract.
Data spanning 2005-2014 from 16 states in the U.S. shows the spatial organization of concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) to be highly indicative of surrounding water quality, with clusters of CAFOs presenting higher near concentrations of total nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). The study also finds elevated total N and P levels around clusters of small and medium-sized sized farms, highlighting that farms which are likely less regulated may have substantial environmental impacts.