Pennsylvania Ag News Headlines PennFuture Intends to Sue Farms for Allowing Sewage into Local Streams Pennsylvania Ag Connection - 11/20/2009 Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future (PennFuture) Thursday announced that it had sent letters of intent to sue to five central Pennsylvania dairy farms that allegedly allow animal sewage and sediment to discharge into local waters, in violation of the Pennsylvania Clean Streams Law. These letters start the clock, giving the farms 60 days to clean up their pollution and adopt a plan to prevent more discharges before a lawsuit is filed. "This pollution is not only illegal, it is a serious risk to the health and safety of people and wildlife all along the local streams, and ultimately in the Chesapeake Bay," said Kimberly Snell-Zarcone, agriculture attorney for PennFuture. "Farming doesn't give anyone a license to pollute, and there are plenty of resources to help farmers adopt techniques to avoid having livestock manure enter our waters. Unless these farms take action immediately to stop their pollution, we will go to court to make them stop. "These types of farming operations, with bare barnyards along public waters, are a danger to everyone's access to clean water," continued Snell-Zarcone. "Clean water must start here, and our government agencies must enforce the law to make sure that clean water is a permanent reality." The farms identified by PennFuture are allegedly allowing sewage and sediment pollution to enter into a number of streams and tributaries, all of which provide water to the Chesapeake Bay. The waterways polluted by these farms include Reynolds Run, which is classified as High-Quality, Cold Water Fishes; a tributary of the Conowingo Creek; a tributary to the Little Conowingo Creek; and a tributary of the Octoraro Creek. The farms are all located in Lancaster County. Copies of the letters are available on PennFuture's website (www.pennfuture.org). PennFuture is a statewide public interest membership organization, founded in 1998. Working from the premise that "Every environmental victory grows the economy," PennFuture successfully advocated for landmark environmental legislation, including passage of the largest ever environmental funding bond, passage of the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act, funding for green energy and energy efficiency, adoption of the Clean Vehicles Program, passage of the law requiring a statewide climate change action plan, and adoption of a regulation that protects babies from mercury pollution from coal-fired power plants. PennFuture has staff throughout the state, in Harrisburg, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, West Chester, Doylestown, and Wilkes-Barre. The Philadelphia Inquirer called PennFuture the "state's leading environmental advocacy organization." More from this state at: Pennsylvania Ag Connection Copyright © 2010 - USAgNet.com. All Rights Reserved.