Hall’s Manure Deregulation Stirs Shitstorm

You’ll no doubt recall that I’ve earlier brought you information on Ralph Hall’s crusade to deregulate animal waste. Specifically, Hall’s filed legislation (which has the blessing of many in the farm lobby) to exempt animal waste from Superfund provisions of the CERCLA/Superfund law.

The bill by the Rockwall Republican has, however, created quite a shitstorm north of the Texas border.

The Arkansas Democrat Gazette reports that Oklahoma’s Attorney General Drew Edmondson is fighting Hall tooth, nail and claw and believes that the legislation is an attempt by poultry and beef lobbyists (through Hall) to “tinker” with a federal lawsuit the Oklahoma AG has filed against Arkansas poultry companies for polluting the Illinois River.

Edmondson believes that the proposal by Rep. Ralph Hall, R-Texas, is an attempt by the National Chicken Council, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and other agricultural interests to tinker with the federal lawsuit he’s filed against eight poultry companies with operations in Arkansas and lawsuits like it.
“I’m not up there in Washington fighting that battle,” Edmondson said. “There are powerful lobbyists working to pass it, and I’m against it.”
Edmonson filed suit in U.S. District Court last year, accusing poultry companies of polluting the Illinois River watershed with poultry litter, which is a combination of wood chips, rice hulls and bird manure.
Defendants are Cargill Inc. of Minneapolis; Cobb-Vantress Inc. of Siloam Springs; George’s Inc. of Springdale; Peterson Farms Inc. of Decatur; Simmons Foods of Siloam Springs; Tyson Foods of Springdale; Willow Brook Foods of Springfield, Mo.; and Cal-Maine Foods Inc. of Jackson, Miss.
Edmondson’s suit said phosphorus, arsenic, zinc, copper and other substances in poultry litter are hazardous substances polluting the watershed and regulated by the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980, also known as the Superfund act.

While I’m not sure that Hall’s legislation was crafted for the specific purpose of spoiling Edmondson’s lawsuits, and it does have some bipartisan support. But, the issue of deregulating animal waste is a big deal in Texas—especially in the Waco area. Nevertheless, it is interesting to note that this issue has been spearheaded by ex-Congressman turned Lobbyist Bob Livingston (R-Louisiana).

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