Senators to debate livestock waste bill

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By KEVIN O'HANLON

Lawmakers were to begin debate today on a contentious bill meant to change the way the state licenses and regulates large livestock operations.

Under the proposal (LB916), permit holders would have to pay a fee for each cow, pig, horse, sheep, lamb, turkey or chicken housed in a facility each year. The fee would vary depending on the animal.

The goal is for the fees to cover about 20 percent of the state's $1 million annual cost of conducting inspections and issuing permits.

Current application fees cover only about $50,000 of the program's costs, according to the Legislature's Fiscal Office.

Sen. Ed Schrock of Elm Creek, who introduced the bill, said the measure is designed to bring the state's permitting process into compliance with federal regulations that take full effect in 2007.

"Our state laws have been good enough that it's not going to be much change for our livestock producers," he said.

Except for the fees.

Under the bill, permit holders would have to pay a fee of 10 cents per head of beef cattle, 15 cents for each dairy cow and $4 per 100 pigs greater than 55 pounds or $1 per 100 pigs less than 55 pounds.

The state's Livestock Waste Management Act, passed in 1998, directs the Department of Environmental Quality to oversee a system of permits and inspections designed to keep livestock waste from polluting Nebraska's waterways.

Environmental groups question why the bill doesn't include a requirement for livestock operators to contribute money to a fund in case a confined animal site is abandoned and needs to be cleaned up.

The Sierra Club, the Nebraska Farmers Union, the Center for Rural Affairs and a number of small farmers testified against the bill and large animal confinement operations during an earlier hearing before the Natural Resources Committee.

The proposal falls short of protecting Nebraska's environment and it shortchanges the public's ability to be informed about new facilities locating in their area, according to an analysis of the bill by the Sierra Club.

Because states don't have to comply with the new federal law until 2007, there is no need to rush something through the Legislature this year, the Sierra Club's Laura Krebsbach said.

John Hansen, president of the Nebraska Farmers Union, said the proposal decreases public participation in the licensing process, gives too much power to the DEQ and is making changes too quickly.

The Nebraska Farm Bureau, the Nebraska Cattlemen and the Nebraska Pork Producers all spoke in support of the bill, despite the new fees.