A nationwide coalition of 50 citizens’ groups and community advocacy, environmental justice, and environmental advocacy organizations, together representing tens of millions of people, in partnership with Earthjustice, petitioned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to improve its oversight of water pollution from industrial-scale concentrated animal feeding operations, commonly known as Large CAFOs. The petitioning groups argue that improved oversight of Large CAFOs is necessary to satisfy the federal Clean Water Act and executive orders intended to advance environmental justice.

Concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) densely house thousands of animals in confined areas. CAFOs in the United States commonly store animal manure in open lagoons and apply manure to nearby fields. These processes can pollute the water and air with pathogens and chemicals that impair the quality of life and physical health of neighboring communities. Iowa (IA) and North Carolina (NC) are two of the leading swine producers in the United States, while California (CA) is the nation’s leading milk producer. Report by Quist, Johnston, and Fliss.