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Idaho Dairy Farmer pays nearly $6,000 for Alleged Violations Related to Animal Waste

Release Date: 03/09/2009
Contact Information: Steven Potokar, EPA Compliance & Enforcement (206) 553-6354, [email protected]; Tony Brown, EPA Public Affairs, (206) 553-1203, [email protected]

(Boise, Idaho – March 9, 2009) Jane Ledbetter, owner of C Bar M Dairy, agreed to pay a $5,800 penalty to settle alleged Clean Water Act (CWA) violations. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the violations occurred near the C Bar M Dairy located in Jerome, Idaho.

On February 20, 2008, C Bar M Dairy discharged manure to Canal J, which flows into the Snake River. Ledbetter’s manure land application truck (aka “honey wagon”) had pulled up to the canal and discharged manure waste into the canal while attempting to draw water from the canal into the truck. The discharge of pollutants was not authorized by a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit, and therefore was in violation of the Clean Water Act.

According to James Werntz, Idaho Operations Office Director for EPA, producers need to make every effort to keep manure and liquid wastes out of creeks, canals, and rivers.

“Manure and wastewater have the potential to contribute pollutants such as nitrogen and phosphorus, organic matter, sediments, pathogens, heavy metals, hormones, antibiotics, and ammonia to the environment. Excess nutrients in water such as nitrogen and phosphorus can result in or contribute to fish kills.” said EPA’s Werntz.

Concentrated animal feeding operations continue to be a leading source of water quality impairment in the United States. Consolidation trends in the livestock industry have resulted in larger-sized operations that generate about 500 million tons of manure annually.

The NPDES permit program, established under the federal Clean Water Act, controls water pollution by regulating sources that discharge pollutants to waters in the United States.

For more information about EPA’s National Enforcement Priorities and Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations, visit: https://www.epa.gov/oecaagct/anafoidx.html