Court Dismisses HSUS Lawsuit on Regulating CAFO Emissions

Last week, a U.S. District Court dismissed a Humane Society of the United States lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency, alleging the agency would not regulate confined animal feeding operations or CAFOs.

The group requested in 2009 that EPA begin rule-making under the Clean Air Act to regulate air emissions from CAFOs.  The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia Circuit threw out the case because the plaintiffs did not give EPA 180-days’ notice of their intent to sue, which is required.

In 2006, nearly 1,900 pork producers and other livestock and poultry farmers entered into agreements with EPA, settling what the agency believed were issues with air emissions associated with livestock production.  However, the National Pork Producers Council says the studies were blocked by activist groups that filed the lawsuit.

HSUS indicated it would re-file the lawsuit after providing the 180 days notice.

If you have a story idea for the Washington Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail gvaagen@cherrycreekradio.com