Illinois


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Overview of CAFOs

A firsthand account of the devastating impacts of factory farms in Illinois by farmer and community activist, Karen Hudson.  The document includes facts about CAFOs from peer-reviewed scientific studies.

Lt. Governor Quinn Applauds Temporary Injunction to Halt Construction of Megadairy

PRESS RELEASE: October 24, 2008 – Lt. Governor Quinn applauds the issuance of a temporary injunction to halt the construction of a megadairy in Jo Daviess county, and will present an Environmental Hero Award to Helping Others Maintain Environmental Standards (HOMES), for their grassroots efforts to protect their community from the proposed facility.

Judge Orders Jo Daviess Megadairy Not to Start Operation

October 21, 2008 – A Circuit Court judge in Galena, Illinois, issued a preliminary injunction against the developer of a 5,000-cow “factory farm” in Jo Daviess County, saying “the proposed facility presents a high probability of creating a public and private nuisance.”

Woodford Won’t Back Hog Farms: Decision not to endorse three proposals comes from lack of local control

The Woodford County Board decided not to endorse three hog farm proposals by Triple L. Pork due to the fact that the state has taken control of these facilities from the local government. As stated in the resolutions, “Since nearly all other land-use decisions are made at the local level, it is unreasonable, arbitrary and unwise to selectively transfer the decisions related to the siting of large-scale animal facilities away from the duly elected local officials who have the greatest likelihood of hearing and knowing the concerns of their constituencies and to make fair, reasonable and informed decisions on behalf of all of the people, thus ensuring the greatest good to the greatest number.” (pjstar.com, September 17, 2008.)

Illinois Citizens for Clean Air and Water Petition U.S. EPA

PEORIA, IL – May 14, 2008 – The newly formed Illinois Citizens for Clean Air and Water (ICCAW) and the Washington, D.C.-based Environmental Integrity Project today announced that they have filed a formal, legal petition urging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to strip the Illinois EPA of its authority to issue pollution control permits for the state’s rapidly growing number of factory farms. The petition argues that the Illinois EPA’s authority to issue National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits should be revoked by the EPA because of the state’s continuing failure to implement regulations under the Clean Water Act. The petitioners have asked the EPA to initiate a public hearing on the matter and to begin formal proceedings to take back control over the state’s program.

Read ICCAW’s press release.
Read background information from ICCAW.
Listen to ICCAW’s press conference.

Information and Resources

Illinois has been overwhelmed with factory farms. The Inwood Dairy spill was one of the worst in the country, and similar facilities continue to open throughout the state despite the history of environmental and community problems created by industrial agriculture. Illinois residents have been working hard to confront these factory farms. Learn more about polluted agricultural runoff or visit the website of Families Against Rural Messes (F.A.R.M.), an active Illinois group.

Report Illinois Environmental Problems by Phone or Web

Illinois citizens can now report pollution and other environmental concerns electronically, speeding up investigations by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. Contact the IEPA in case of a fish kill, spill, stream/lake pollution, illegal discharges into waterways, issues affecting drinking water and agricultural problems: Environmental Helpline (1-888-372-1996) or http://www.epa.state.il.us/pollution-complaint/.

Illinois Livestock Regulations Fail to Protect our Water

A report compiled by a graduate student working with Illinois Stewardship Alliance Board Vice President, Dr. Kendall, criticizes the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) for its failure to enforce the Federal Clean Water Act as it applies to Animal Feeding Operations (AFOs). (Danielle Diamond, J.D., Graduate Student in Anthropology, Northern Illinois University, June 2006.) [Press Release]

DeKalb County Illinois Case Judge Rules in Favor of Neighbors

In a precedent-setting ruling, the Appellate Court of Illinois Second District sided with concerned citizens who presented extensive evidence of the potential harms to their health and to the values of their lands should a Precision Pork facility begin to operate. The defendants at Precision Pork chose not to controvert this evidence. This resulted from the citizens gaining permission from a Circuit Judge to perform air testing inside and outside the hog confinement buildings. Read more about the background of this lawsuit.

America’s Animal Factories: How States Fail to Prevent Pollution from Livestock Waste

This report from the Natural Resources Defense Council examines the environmental and public health impacts of pollution from industrial livestock farms. Includes activist contacts and resources.

CapitolFax.com Searches

“The definitive site for Illinois Politics” allows users to search through state databases to find agencies, laws, legislation, media, and more.

Critical Trends Assessment Program

An ongoing process to evaluate the state of the Illinois environment.

Dirty Water Dirty Business

This report discusses the number one water pollution source in the state of Illinois: polluted agricultural runoff. Also describes the water quality positions of the largest representative of the agriculture industry, the Illinois Farm Bureau. (Prairie Rivers Network, September 1999.)

Illinois Farm Direct

A new online directory for consumers to find fresh food from their local farmers. This site is the result of a collaboration of Illinois sustainable food organizations, including the Land Connection, Prairieland Slow Food, University of Illinois, University of Illinois Extension, Agroecology/ Sustainable Agriculture Program at the University of Illinois.

Illinois Livestock Violations

The Livestock Facility Survey Annual Summaries are compiled by the Illinois EPA agricultural engineers in response to their activities within a given calendar year. The data contained in each Summary reflect the number, type and outcome of facility site visits, investigations, and compliance and enforcement actions conducted by the staff. These data are used to identify needs and where to place more emphasis in the Livestock Waste Management Program.

The Izaak Walton League’s Fish Kill Advisory Network (FKAN)

The FKAN maintains a searchable database of fish kills and manure spills in the Upper Mississippi River Basin states (IL, IA, MN, MO, and WI). All records in the database have been verified by state agencies, and have been compiled on a map of fish kills and manure spills in the region.

North Clay Community Unit District #25

In 2005, the Board of Education of North Clay Community, IL passed this resolution opposing the construction of a hog factory due to health and safety concerns. Although this type of resolution is nonbinding, it helps publicize the harmful effects of factory farms and solidifies community opposition to these operations.

Legal Research for Illinois

Documents related to state and local government and legislative information for Illinois. (Washburn University School of Law.)

US Farms – State Fact Sheets

Links for each state, with current information about farm size, financial status, rural employment, land use, and more. (USDA.)

Water Quality in the Lower Illinois River Basin, Illinois, 1995-98

Water quality assessment reports from the US Geological Survey.

State and Local Government

Groups

Families Against Rural Messes (FARM)

Excellent site that focuses on hog farms, from Illinois advocacy group.

Families Against Animal Confinement Threats (FAACT)

A group of neighboring families who are fighting the creation of a nearby hog confinement and lobbying for enactment of laws that will protect similar neighborhoods from the negative impact of factory farms.

Humane Political Action Committee

An organization working within the political system to promote legislation favorable to animals. Contact: Donald A. Rolla, Executive Director. P.O. Box 197 Mahomet, IL 61853. Ph: (217) 897-6716.

Illinois Citizens for Clean Air and Water (ICCAW)

Illinois Citizens for Clean Air and Water (ICCAW) is a state-wide coalition of family farmers and community groups advocating for sound policies and practices that protect the environment, human health, and rural quality of life from the impacts of large-scale, industrialized livestock production facilities in Illinois. A majority of its members are family farmers and rural residents who have been adversely affected by nearby factory farms.

Illinois Stewardship Alliance

ISA is a citizens’ organization that promotes a safe and nutritious food supply, family farming, and healthy rural communities by advocating socially just and ecologically sustainable production practices.

Illinois Student Environmental Network

A statewide organization that trains and educates Illinois college student activists who are passionate about protecting the environment for future generations.

People Against the Mistreatment of Animals (PAMA)

A student organization at Illinois State University dedicated to making life better for animals.

Prairie Rivers Network

Prairie Rivers Network is a clean water advocate involved in the creation, implementation, and enforcement of water policies.

Regulations

HB 524, the Producer Protection Act

Appears to have died in committee, January 2003.

Illinois Livestock Management Facilities Act

Regulations for meat production in Illinois.

Press Release: Proposed Legislation Threatens Constitutional Rights

Legislation introduced in the Illinois Senate in 2004 would have restricted the ability of local governments to exercise their responsibility to manage local land use for the common good by blocking a Public Hearing process covering new development. (Illinois Stewardship Alliance & FARM, April 8, 2004.)

Livestock waste regulations: (word doc)

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