RSSStockwatering exemption: Water is not an unlimited resource
Yakima Herald-Republic editorial board
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This editorial appears in the June 19 Yakima Herald-Republic
We hope the next six months are productive for a group of lawmakers, dairy and feedlot operators, environmentalists and Native Americans. In their hands could very well rest the future of water resources in Eastern Washington.
The situation has become even more urgent following a decision by the state to approve another large animal feeding facility.
A week ago, the state Ecology Department approved a water transfer for the Easterday Ranches feedlot in Eltopia, north of the Tri-Cities in Franklin County. The feedlot will accommodate 30,000 head of cattle on nearly 1,000 acres.
The approval again draws attention to, and vocal criticism of, a state law that allows an exemption for stockwatering purposes. The exemption means there are no permits required, and no limits set, on drinking water for livestock.
The state claims it has no other recourse with regard to the stockwatering exemption in light of a state Attorney General's 2005 opinion that supported the dairy and feedlot industries' interpretation of a 1945 groundwater code. That rule allows use without a permit of 5,000 gallons of water per day for a home as well as industrial use, enough water for a half-acre garden and water for stockwatering.
The code contains no limit for watering stock.
The Ecology Department argues the approval for the Easterday Ranches vindicates its position that only stock watering is allowed without a permit. That's why last fall it required the feedlot owner to secure a water right related to other uses like dust control and cooling.
That's exactly what Easterday Ranches did when it obtained a transferred water right from a nearby farm.
While the new feedlot will move ahead, we agree with the Ecology Department that the stockwatering issue needs to be resolved. As it is now, the unlimited use of water for livestock is unsustainable, especially when these massive livestock operations like Easterday Ranches are established. The underground aquifers are not limitless.
During the past legislative session, several proposals were put forward to deal with the stockwatering issue but nothing gained traction, thanks mostly to the overwhelming problems associated with the state's record budget deficit.
Lawmakers did set up this study group, which will report back to the Legislature when it reconvenes in January.
What is required now is for this select group to sit down, get serious and hammer out a compromise. And when such a pact is reached, it should not attempt to grandfather in these large-scale dairy and feedlot operations. That would hardly help mitigate the problem.
We hope the state's approval for the Easterday Ranches gives added incentive to the task at hand. When it comes to Western water rights, solutions have been elusive at best.
But clearly unlimited water use can't be sustained into the foreseeable future. No one benefits when a resource, in this case water, comes up empty.
* Members of the Yakima Herald-Republic editorial board are Michael Shepard, Bob Crider, Spencer Hatton and Karen Troianello.
This is not about a LACK OF WATER. There is as much water in this world as there has ever been. It is entirely about control by the gestapo department of ecology and big government. Over the last 20 years farmers have really put in technology such as drip irrigation that has really conserved water. Unfortunately livestock cannot conserve water unless it is cooler water. To conserve water we will have to produce less food. Food takes water to produce whether it be livestock or crops. Then this same green Gore group that is short on insight. They will then say that that agriculture is ripping them off because food and meats are too high in the grocery stores. Ignorance per the state departments and federal departments is the best way to describe water shortages!
Report ViolationGREEN GORE GROUP?
Not about lack of water? The 5 corners family farmers, a group of multi-generation wheat farmers were the first ones to oppose this monster feedlot in their back yard because their water table has been declining for years. There are many very conservative people who don't want these monster polluting meat factories in their back yards. The stink, dust and flies from this operation will RUIN the lives of those people living near this operation.
Think about this sport, where do your property rights stop?
One very logical answer is at the property line.
Why should your neighbors have to pay the price so that you can rake in record profits. You need to wake up and smell the coffee sport. The old days are gone when all the mega farms and ranches got the best state and county government they could buy and rolled over everyone in their path hiding behind self-righteous gibberish about "independent" ranchers and farmers. You suckers would fold in one season were it not for all the massive government subsidies you slop up, stealing that money from taxpayers all over the country. Maybe you should think about finding a way to make a living that doesn't wreck the lives of those living near you and doesn't depend on illegal aliens and government hand outs.
IT DOESN'T TAKE "GREEN GORE DEMOCRATS" TO WANT TO BREATHE CLEAN AIR AND DRINK CLEAN WATER.
Do we want to eat, do we not want to eat. If this feedlot is as clean as some of the midwestern feedlots. They will be cleaner than the neighbors yards. I used to ship and feed cattle in Nebraska. I went back to check them out for the first time. Looking at some of these local lots, I took my coveralls and boots. I got to Nebraska and was chocked how clean they were. Every lot was sloped to the center to catch all waste water. I am serious when I say the lots were so clean that we could have held a dance and any pen.
So before we jump to conclusions about dust, flies or manure. Lets see what kind of technology they use at this new feedlot! I guarantee if they use all the new technology that is available. These neighbors will be glad they built it there and will use the manure waste on their fields and low their cost of production. Plus have a home for their crops. The demand will enlarge for the production of crops, thus becoming a good neighboring partner to use the manure.
Negative thoughts will not make this project fail. There could be many more positive factors whereas the neighbors will say. What took you so long. And I guarantee you this, Easterday's will go out of their way to be good neighbors or else they will not beable to appease the Department of ecology let alone the neighbors. It seems outsiders that do not know the facts will become agitators !
TOTAL B.S.
All you have to do is to look around the valley. The feedlots on the reservation are FILTHY SICKENING MESSES. ALL the neighbors are sick and the water is poisoned. On most days the air is so bad near these "high technology" operations that you could vomit just driving by.
There are groups all thru the mid west that are attempting to get rid of these operations.
According to the EPA, the liquid @#$% that is dumped on crops goes right into the water table as most crops can only absorb about 5% of the liquid @#$% dumped on them.
The Pew Report on factory farming states that these operations are so damaging to rural communities that the Johns Hopkins Scientists working for Pew recommend them being phased out as soon as possible.
As far as the project failing. I pray that it does fail.
It's all about money. Our tax money keeps going down the drain as long as these parasites are allowed to keep stealing from us.
So it looks to me like you lied about everything.
Just like the 'news' story on this issue, this opinion piece (propaganda for the left) forgot to mention anything about the jobs created by this private business.
If you think there's a water shortage or we're taking to much, go swim across the Columbia Bar and then report back. Water is one of the biggest sources of power, not electricity but political power.
Hey, it is not only the feedlots filthy on the reservation. Look at the homes of many of its residents! You talk about the reports from these liberal arts colleges. The liberal arts colleges are so full of propaganda today that it is sickening. These colleges today are not teaching science, they are teaching Gore poopaganda! Then remember, many scintist do not believe in Jesus Christ. So how far from realitiy do you keep going. Here in the Yakima Valley, we are hauling all of Seattle's solid waste and spreading them on hops and whatever else they can.
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