March 1, 2000

The Honorable Secretary James M. Seif
PA Department of Environmental Protection
P.O. Box 2063
Harrisburg, PA 17105-2063

Dear Secretary Seif:

At the Agricultural Advisory Board's February 16, 2000 meeting, Milt Lauch, Bureau of Water Quality Protection, provided the Board with an excellent presentation on the permitting procedures for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs). The Board, however, questioned the CAFO strategy mandate that requires a public meeting for existing CAFOs located in high quality or exceptional value watersheds. The Board members unanimously passed a motion in opposition of this requirement.

Board members had several reasons for their position. The first, and foremost, is that existing operations cannot simply pick up and move their operation elsewhere. A public meeting would serve no purpose and would place the operator in unnecessary scrutiny. The potential of neighborhood conflicts without the remote possibility of resolution would be escalated.

The Board passed this motion pertaining only to existing operations. We believe wholeheartedly that subjecting existing operations to public meetings serves no useful purpose.

Thank you for your consideration in this matter. If I may be of further assistance, please contact me at (717) 234-5001.