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 The presence of pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, and petroleum products on a farm can present a potential chemical hazard to the community just as a factory can--especially if the farm is located near a populated area, transportation routes, or water. Farmers therefore, may be subject to one or more of the reporting requirements of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA). Anyone who spills agrichemicals, petroleum products, or manure is legally responsible for cleaning up the spill if it harms or threatens to harm public health or the environment, regardless of the amount of the spill.
If you spill or release a substance that may adversely affect human health and safety or the environment, you should report it immediate by calling the Spills Hotline at 1-800-943-0003.
The WI DATCP (Dept. of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection) operates programs to keep agrichemicals from reaching the environment, and monitors for agrichemicals in groundwater and surface water. The WI DNR has oversight of manure management programs and provides information on the prevention of, and response planning for, spills.
Emergency Planning: Farmers should first determine if they are using any EHS (extremely hazardous substances) that trigger the Act's emergency planning reporting requirement. (See "Links" for EPA Consolidated List of Lists.) Click here for a link to a list of the most commonly used agricultural chemicals designated as EHS. If so, and if one or more of the substances exceeds specified amounts, the farm must alert the SERC and LEPC that it is covered by the emergency planning requirements using the Farm Emergency Planning Notification (EPN) form. The farm must also identify a contact in case the LEPC needs additional information. This information will be used to develop an emergency response plan for the community.
AFO and CAFO
An animal feeding operation (AFO) with 1,000 animal units or more is a large Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO). Every farm, regardless of size, is responsible for meeting performance standards and prohibitions to prevent polluting lakes, rivers, wetlands, or groundwater. The WI DNR is responsible for regulating AFO's under the U.S. EPA Clean Water Act's pollutant discharge permit program known as WPDES (WI Pollutant Discharge Elimination System).
Information on Wisconsin's CAFO program can be found at the WI DNR website under Agribusiness. |
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