Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Bill would require state game farms to get CAFO or individual discharge permits after Centralia nitrate findings
Summary
Supporters told a House committee that nitrates found in Centralia‑area wells are linked to large game farms and urged HB 23‑43 to require Department of Fish and Wildlife facilities to have CAFO or individual water‑discharge permits; WDFW says it has voluntarily secured the permit.
Jacob Wilson, staff to the House Environment & Energy Committee, told lawmakers HB 23‑43 would require the Department of Fish and Wildlife to obtain either CAFO general‑permit coverage or an individual facility discharge permit for any state‑operated facility raising numbers of animals comparable to a private CAFO. He said permits include manure pollution‑prevention plans, monitoring, recordkeeping and reporting requirements enforced by the Department of Ecology.
Representative Peter Barno, the bill’s prime sponsor, opened public testimony by saying residents of Centralia and surrounding areas have experienced rising nitrate levels and health problems they believe are linked to a…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
