EMBARGOED FOR 3PM RELEASE
Contact: Joe Rudek 919 881-2601 / 919 931-9677
    Suzy Friedman   202 387-3500 / 703 231-4412

REPORT CONFIRMS SEVERITY OF AIR POLLUTION FROM FACTORY FARMS
Environmental Defense Calls On EPA And USDA To Take Immediate Action To
Protect Public Health

(12 December 2002 -- Raleigh)  Environmental Defense today praised a new
report by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) that confirms the need
to
reduce air pollution generated by factory farms to curb serious public
health
and environmental impacts.  The group called on the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to
follow the report's recommendations and take immediate action to reduce
dangerous emissions of major air pollutants.  On December 16, EPA is
scheduled to release new regulations for livestock production, which are
unlikely to address air emissions.  USDA is also handing out hundreds of
millions of dollars to factory farms to manage their manure better, but
these
funds have so far done little to control air emissions.

"The NAS report confirms that factory farms are polluting the air we
breathe
and the waters in which we swim and fish and provides a scientifically
sound
method to measure environmental impacts," said Joe Rudek, senior
scientist
with Environmental Defense, who reviewed the report for NAS.  "In the
past,

industry has hidden behind claims of insufficient science to delay
action.

Now the industry's excuse for inaction has evaporated."

"Unfortunately, both EPA and USDA have done almost nothing so far to
address
air pollution, a huge part of the factory farm problem," said Rudek.
"B"ecause the pollution that evaporates from factory farms comes back
down
in
rainfall and contaminates our water, it makes little sense for EPA to
issue

new water rules for factory farms that do nothing to curb air
pollutants.
If
EPA's rules only focus on spills and the use of manure on land, they
could
actually encourage factory farms to increase air pollution.  That would
mean
more noxious odors and unhealthy air for downwind neighbors."

"USDA may spend as much as $2 billion in the next few years to help
livestock
operators deal with manure," said Suzy Friedman, agriculture policy
analyst

with Environmental Defense.  "In the past, almost none of this money has
helped control air pollution and odor.  USDA has instead focused too
much
on
bigger lagoons that are a part of the problem.  This report should spur
USDA
to help farmers manage manure more comprehensively.  The good news is
that
some of the technologies to control air pollution and odor can also turn
manure into electricity and help farmers with their bottom lines."

Environmental Defense, a leading national nonprofit organization based
in
New
York, represents more than 300,000 members.  Since 1967 we have linked
science, economics, and law to create innovative, equitable, and
cost-effective solutions to the most urgent environmental problems.

www.environmentaldefense.org

Clean Water Network listserves are for CWN members only and messages are
intended solely for those environmental activists.

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