A federal judge has rejected a petition from environmental activists seeking stricter regulation of large livestock operations, giving a victory to the U.S. meat industry. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in San Francisco dismissed a lawsuit that aimed to change how the Environmental Protection Agency regulates concentrated animal feeding operations. Pork producers have praised the decision.
The lawsuit, filed by Food & Water Watch, challenged the EPA’s decision to deny a petition requesting permits for all farms operating CAFOs unless they could prove they do not pollute. Activist groups argued that livestock operations are polluting waterways in violation of the Clean Water Act and that the EPA is obligated to regulate the discharge of animal waste.
The court sided with the EPA’s approach to regulating livestock production, which includes forming a subcommittee to study water quality issues before crafting new regulations. The court deemed the EPA’s current process as reasonable and in line with the Clean Water Act.
Pork producers welcomed the court’s decision, stating that major changes to federal laws must come from congressional action and not through the courts. The National Pork Producers Council criticized activist groups for attempting to rewrite federal law through legal action.
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Lara Heller graduated from the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands with a degree in New Media and Communication. During her studies, she specialized in digital media, social media strategies, and content creation. She participated in various digital media projects during her university years, focusing particularly on online journalism and media ethics. After graduation, Lara started working as a content strategist at one of Europe’s leading digital media agencies, where she developed campaigns that strengthened the digital presence of numerous international brands.
