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Thursday, February 19, 2009

Environment - Still more on: "CAFO regulation proposals will return to Indiana General Assembly in eight bills"

Updating this ILB entry from Feb. 11th, where Richmond Pallidium-Item correspondent Pam Tharp reported:

Ag committee Chairman Phil Pflum, D-Milton, said the committee didn't vote on the bills because several questions were raised. The committee will hear limited testimony and will vote on House Bill 1074 and 1075 on Feb. 17, he said.
Ms. Tharp reports today:
Two House bills that would regulate mega livestock farms will move to the 100-member Indiana House for consideration next week.
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The House agriculture committee on Tuesday passed House bills 1074 and 1075. Proponents and opponents of the bills have less than a week to bend legislators one way or the other on the issues because Wednesday is the last day for legislation to be passed from its chamber of origin.

House Bill 1074 allows the Indiana Department of Environmental Management to consider "good character" issues such as prior environmental violations by applicants who want to operate concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs).

House Bill 1075 establishes a two-mile setback from state parks and reservoirs for new confined feeding operations, CAFOs and manure application.

"It's going to be a challenge to get (the setback bill) out of the whole House," said state Rep. Phil Pflum, D- Milton, who chairs the House ag committee. "I'm sure we'll get an up-or-down vote on it.

"I think if we could pass it with bipartisan support in the House, we'd have a better chance in the Senate. This is not a Democrat or Republican issue."

The "good character" bill passed out of the ag committee on an 11-0 vote. The number of years to be reviewed for good character was amended by the committee from five to three, said state Rep. Tom Knollman, R-Liberty, an ag committee member.

The setback bill passed by a narrow 6-5 margin, with Knollman voting for the bill. Knollman said he still has reservations but voted for it to move it forward.

Setbacks might be trimmed, but there is a need to protect state lakes from pollution, he said.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on February 19, 2009 11:46 AM
Posted to Environment