Assembly Joint Resolution No. 21–Committee on

Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Mining

FILE NUMBER........

Whereas, Congress enacted the Clean Water Act in 1972 to restore and

maintain the chemical, physical and biological integrity of the nation’s

waters by eliminating the discharge of pollutants into surface waters and

achieving increased water quality; and

Whereas, A new Clean Water Action Plan was announced in 1997 to

address nonpoint sources of water pollution and has resulted in the Unified

National Strategy for Animal Feeding Operations developed jointly by the

United States Environmental Protection Agency and the United States

Department of Agriculture; and

Whereas, The United States Environmental Protection Agency and the

United States Department of Agriculture have identified large animal

feeding operations as significant nonpoint sources of water pollution and

are proposing increased federal and state regulation of these activities; and

Whereas, The United States Environmental Protection Agency and the

United States Department of Agriculture propose to fully regulate these

activities and establish a permitting process for the larger, more

concentrated animal feeding operations through a National Pollutant

Discharge Elimination System; and

Whereas, The proposed National Pollutant Discharge Elimination

System includes a plan to reduce significantly the numbers of animals per

feeding operation that will trigger the permitting and regulatory process;

and

Whereas, The National Association of State Departments of

Agriculture expressed concern to the United States Environmental

Protection Agency about the expansion of the permitting scheme for animal

feeding operations, identified effective programs in many states that protect

water quality and urged both the United States Environmental Protection

Agency and the United States Department of Agriculture to give states the

opportunity and flexibility to continue to implement voluntary measures by

enacting statutes based upon sound science, economic feasibility and the

specific needs of the state; and

Whereas, The agricultural industry is of critical concern to the State of

Nevada, and Nevada agencies are capable of adequately regulating such

facilities within this state’s borders; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly and Senate of the State of Nevada,

Jointly, That the Nevada Legislature hereby expresses its full support of

the recommendation by the National Association of State Departments of

Agriculture that the individual states should be given the authority and

flexibility to enact state statutes to protect their natural resources from

potential negative effects resulting from livestock production and to base

those statutes upon sound science, economic feasibility and the specific

needs of the state; and be it further

Resolved, That the Nevada Legislature strongly urges the United

States Environmental Protection Agency to reconsider the proposed

formula used to determine the regulatory threshold number of animals

which in its current form will reduce the threshold number and significantly

expand the applicability of the permitting process of the National Pollutant

Discharge Elimination System; and be it further

Resolved, That the Nevada Legislature strongly urges the United

States Environmental Protection Agency to seek out and give serious

consideration to comments from representatives of the states, local

governments, farm bureaus, agricultural industry and soil conservation

services and any other affected group or person before revising regulations

regarding animal feeding operations; and be it further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly prepare and transmit a

copy of this resolution to the Administrator of the United States

Environmental Protection Agency, the Secretary of the United States

Department of Agriculture and to each member of the Nevada

Congressional Delegation; and be it further

Resolved, That this resolution becomes effective upon passage and

approval.

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