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EPA and USDA Seek Comments on Proposed Animal Feeding Operations Strategy

Release Date: 12/3/1998
Contact Information: For more information contact the Office of External Affairs at (214) 665-2200.

      The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have scheduled a public forum in Fort Worth, Texas, Dec. 10, 1998, to hear comments about the draft Unified National Strategy for Animal Feeding Operations. The meeting will be at the Holiday Inn South at 100 E. Alta Mesa Blvd. from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m., with registration for those who wish to speak beginning at 5 p.m.

       Part of the Clean Water Action Plan, the strategy outlines a series of actions to minimize water pollution from large animal feeding facilities. Nutrient-rich water runoff from improperly managed animal feeding operations has been blamed for water pollution problems such as algae blooms resulting in fish kills, foul-tasting drinking water, and outbreaks of the toxic pfiesteria bacteria along the East Coast.

       EPA and USDA representatives will present a brief overview of the draft strategy before comments are heard. Each person who registered will be given a limited amount of time to speak, probably five minutes, so that all can be heard. Those who did not register but wish to be heard will be allowed to speak as time permits.

       This meeting is one of several informal "listening" meetings being held throughout the country by EPA and USDA. These comments will not be officially recorded as part of the public record. However, addressed envelopes to mail additional comments will be provided.

       The public comment period on this draft strategy ends Jan. 19, 1999. Comments may be mailed to Denise C. Coleman, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, P. O. Box 2890, Washington, DC 20013-2890, or e-mailed to "[email protected]". The draft strategy was published in the Federal Register Sept. 21, 1998, and also is available on the Internet at https://www.epa.gov/owm/afostrat.htm or http://www.nhq.nrcs.usda.gov.