FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Thursday, May 18, 2000):
Texas Ranks No. 1 in Livestock Waste Production
Sierra Club and Consumers Union Call on Texas to Enact Tougher Protections for Texas Factory Farms
(AUSTIN/WASHINGTON) - Texas produces more animal waste than any other state and is creating a public health and pollution hazard, concludes a new report released today by the Sierra Club and the Southwest Regional Office of Consumers Union. According to "Animal Factories: Pollution and Health Threats to Rural Texas," Texas, unlike many other livestock producing states, provides little oversight or regulation of these facilities. The result is polluted air and water and a public health risk.
The new report shows that Texas produces more animal waste than any other state - approximately 220 billion pounds, and this number is rising. Current estimates show that Texas is producing 280 billion pounds or 40 pounds per Texas resident per day. "We already knew that Texas leads the nation in toxic air pollution from manufacturing industries, and now we have the dubious honor of holding the number one spot in manure production," said Ken Kramer, Director of the Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club in Texas. California holds the number two spot in manure production, but produces only half of the amount - 110 billion pounds of waste - that Texas does.
"Unfortunately, Gov. George W. Bush and the Texas Natural Resources Conservation Commission (TNRCC) have failed to protect Texas citizens from industrial livestock waste," Kramer continued. "While this animal waste pollutes our air and water, Gov. Bush and the TNRCC are welcoming factory farms into the state and inviting them to pollute. They should be implementing tougher standards that would combat this pollution problem."
The report describes how weak state environmental regulations and lax enforcement allow Texas' factory farms to pollute, often for years, before any enforcement action is taken. The pollution is taking its toll on local waterways impairing 388 miles of streams and more than 23,000 acres of lakes.
Stretches of Wright Patman Lake, Black Bayou, and the Upper North Bosque River are so polluted from industrial livestock waste that they cannot support aquatic life. Additionally, the areas of the North Bosque River and Leon River are contaminated to the point that they can no longer support recreation.
Air pollution from factory farms is also taking its toll on human health. For instance, a child lived adjacent to a cattle feedlot and had to be air-lifted to a nearby hospital because of severe respiratory distress caused by the large amount of fecal dust emitted from the facility. This family and others have moved from their homestead rather than live with the constant odor and dust.
"While Texas residents suffer from manure pollution, Governor Bush and Texas agencies refuse to keep factory farm waste out of Texas' air and waterways," said Ed Hopkins, Senior Washington Representative of the Sierra Club. "Other states have addressed environmental concerns and implemented effective solutions. Texas should follow in their footsteps and protect our environment."
Many states are beginning to take necessary steps to protect the public from air and water pollution. Overwhelmed by the health and environmental threats posed by industrial livestock operations, officials in both Mississippi, North Carolina and Oklahoma have placed moratoria on all new operations. Kansas, Iowa, and Georgia have all adopted new rules regarding waste application. And Minnesota has applied air standards to safeguard neighbors from health-threatening emissions. Meanwhile, despite overwhelming evidence of the pollution problems Texas is merely studying the issue, allowing hog, chicken, and cattle waste to continue polluting the state's air and water.
"It's time for Gov. Bush and the TNRCC to take notice of the damage that has been caused by industrial livestock facilities in Texas," Hopkins concluded. "They should protect Texas' health and waterways and stop livestock factories."
The report lists specific areas where the TNRCC has not done its job in protecting Texas citizens from factory farm pollution, and offers recommendations on how to increase protections.