News From the Sierra Club
For Immediate Release Contact:
Wednesday, May 15, 2002 Anne Woiwode or Dan Farough,
Sierra Club
517-484-2372
Dr. Leland Wolf,
MSMS 517-523-2127
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MICHIGAN STATE MEDICAL SOCIETY CALLS FOR
MORATORIUM ON ANIMAL FACTORIES
DOCTORS URGE PHASE OUT OF LAGOON WASTE SYSTEM
LANSING, MI: The Michigan State Medical Society (MSMS) is calling for a
moratorium on all new concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), or
animal factories in Michigan. The group passed a strongly worded
resolution at its House of Delegates meeting over the May 4th and 5th
weekend. The House of Delgates is the MSMS’ governing body. “Animal
factories pose
very significant public health and environmental risks to communities and the
general public,” said Dr. Leland Wolf, the original author of the
resolution. “Threats range from hastening the development of antibiotic
resistant bacteria to contaminating ground and surface water to
releasing ammonia gas. Michigan must impose an immediate moratorium on animal
factories until public health and environmental risks are addressed.”
The Medical Society’s resolution critiqued the State of Michigan for
developing a system which fails to contain animal factory pollution
including no permit system for discharges in waters, no public input
mechanism for the people impacted by animal factory pollution, and no
monitoring of adjacent drains, streams or wells. In light of these
failings, the resolution calls for an immediate moratorium on new CAFOs, a
mandatory permit process, mandatory monitoring of adjacent waters and a phase
out
of open air lagoons. “Policies enacted by the State of Michigan are
encouraging, not limiting public health and pollution problems in
Michigan,” continued Dr. Wolf. “Doctors know the seriousness of these
threats and
that is why we felt it necessary to act to protect the health of Michigan
communities.”
The Michigan State Medical Society’s call for a moratorium on animal
factories and a phase out of open air lagoons was warmly received by
family farmers who have been fighting animal factory pollution for years.
“Doctors know what animal factory owners refuse to acknowledge,” said family
farmer, Lynn Henning. “These guys are profiting from pollution and that hurts
people and communities.”
The coalition against animal factories is growing very rapidly, observed
Anne Woiwode, Director of the Sierra Club in Michigan, one of the first
groups to work on the animal factory problem in Michigan. “Animal
factories are their own worst enemy. You can’t make people believe polluting
animal factories are family farms and the air and water is clean when it is
polluted. Its time for the State to do its job and protect these people
and stop playing games. Each day that passes, more and more individuals and
groups are joining this effort because the problems are so serious and
far-reaching. Its only a matter of time.”
RESOLUTION 105-02A
Title: State Regulation of Confined Animal Feed Operations
Introduced by: Inad Haddad, MD, Lenawee County
Original Author: Leland W. Wolf, MD
Referred to: Reference Committee D
House Action:
Whereas, Michigan is seeing a rapidly growing number of Confined
Animal Feed Operations (CAFOs), and
Whereas, the urine and feces from these animals are stored in lagoons
and spread on the land without any prior waste treatment, and
Whereas, these animals often are given antibiotics in the feed to
promote growth and there is increased antibiotic use because of crowding; all
of
which hastens development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and
Whereas, there is an increased potential for ground water and surface
water contamination from bacteria, hormones, antibiotics, nitrates and
phosphates, and
Whereas, manure runoff (E.coli, fecal coliform bacteria) can pollute
lakes, drinking water and groundwater wells, and
Whereas, other pollutants and risks to public health can include
odors, heavy metals, hormones and ammonia, and
Whereas, there is no public input mechanism regarding location of
CAFOs and over-saturation of CAFOs in a small area, and
Whereas, there is no inspection or permit mechanism for manure
lagoons (one million to 15 million gallons in size), and
Whereas, there is no permit system for discharging waste, and
Whereas, there is no monitoring of adjacent drains, streams or wells,
and
Whereas, a number of drains, streams and lakes in Michigan already
have
been polluted from nearby CAFOs by levels of E. coli too high to count,
and
Whereas, all aspects of CAFO operations currently are voluntary;
therefore be it
RESOLVED: That MSMS urge the state of Michigan to place a moratorium
on all new Confirmed Animal Feed Operations; and be it further
RESOLVED: That MSMS seek legislation to establish a mandatory permit
process, a mandatory monitoring of adjacent waters and an immediate
phase-out of all open-air manure lagoons for Confined Animal Feed Operations
in Michigan.
WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE FISCAL NOTE: NONE
###
Erin Jordahl
Director, Iowa Chapter Sierra Club
3839 Merle Hay Road, Suite 280
Des Moines, IA 50310
515-277-8868
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