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Author(s) -
Hoffbuhr Jack W.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal ‐ american water works association
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.466
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1551-8833
pISSN - 0003-150X
DOI - 10.1002/j.1551-8833.2007.tb07894.x
Subject(s) - clean water act , nonpoint source pollution , agency (philosophy) , total maximum daily load , environmental planning , watershed , safe drinking water act , business , environmental science , united states regulation of point source water pollution , pollution , pollutant , water resource management , environmental protection , agriculture , water quality , computer science , geography , ecology , philosophy , chemistry , archaeology , epistemology , organic chemistry , machine learning , biology
In his column, AWWA Executive Director Jack Hoffbuhr discusses the problems with source water pollution that occur from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). He points out that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) has tried to address source water pollution with concepts such as total maximum daily loads and watershed‐based National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting. However, due to the limitations of the Clean Water Act, protecting drinking water sources is considered an “other goal” rather than being the focus of the permitting process. Hoffbuhr presents another approach that involves urging agriculturists to use best management practices to control nonpoint contaminants that has been successful particularly when there are funds available from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to assist with such practices. Hoffbuhr urges support for an omnibus Farm Bill that is up for reauthorization in Congress now, and would provide significant funds for source water protection.