Revised Fur Farm Regulations raise grave concerns!<\/p>\n
The recently released Fur Farm Regulations (second draft) are so weak, their effectiveness to protect our watersheds is in question.<\/p>\n
\nThe Tusket River Environmental Protection Association notes some improvements in some water testing and animal housing requirements but is dismayed to find that many watershed protecting measures have been eliminated or filled with loopholes, and scientific advice (from public input sessions) has been largely ignored.<\/p>\n
\nA ground water sampling program, present in the first version, has been excised. \u201cThis is not acceptable,\u201d says John Sollows, the Executive Director of TREPA, \u201cGround water testing provides an early warning system, which allows farmers to make corrections before drinking water supplies become seriously affected by farming operations. Domestic wells should not be polluted by leaching from fur farms. It is in the best interests of fur farmers, as well as the general public, to test the ground water below their farms.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nA second problem concerns the disposal of manure, waste feed and carcasses. The new version would allow \u201don-farm\u201c, \u201cin an approved manner\u201d disposal. \u201cThe problem here is that the \u201capproved manners\u201d need to be specified and other \u201cmanners\u201d explicitly prohibited,\u201d says John; \u201cotherwise, unprohibited, unforeseen, potentially hazardous manners will be permissible.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nThe third major concern is that the surface water sampling program is not specific. It looks as if some farmers may not need to sample anything. This program needs to specify when and where surface water has to be sampled.<\/p>\n
The persistent difficulties experienced to protect our watersheds has convinced TREPA that industrial-level farming and aquaculture operations need to be defined and made subject to official Environmental Assessments, which include public scrutiny and commentary, before they can be approved.<\/p>\n
Long-term economic interests coincide with environmental and public health interests. The conflicts arise from short-term interests, which sometimes can benefit a few people at the expense of many more, particularly of future generations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Revised Fur Farm Regulations raise grave concerns! The recently released Fur Farm Regulations (second draft) are so weak, their effectiveness to protect our watersheds is in question. The Tusket River Environmental Protection Association notes some improvements in some water testing … Continue reading