CHILTON, WI (WSAU-WAOW) – Environmentalists are preparing to continue a court fight over water quality and factory farming regulations in Wisconsin if industry advocates elect to file an appeal.
A Calumet County judge ruled in favor of the state Department of Natural Resources and against the plaintiffs in a case over whether the government can require permits for how factory farms manage manure. The DNR requires factory farms that house more than certain numbers of cows to get Wisconsin Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (WPDES) permits.
The thresholds differ based on the type of livestock. For dairy farms, WPDES permits are required for operations with 800 or more cows.
Judge Carey J. Reed ruled that Wisconsin’s government can continue to require the permits.
“If they want to keep fighting over this in the courts, we’re here to keep defending Wisconsin’s water as long as it takes,” Evan Feinauer, a staff attorney at Clean Wisconsin, said.
The DNR does not comment on ongoing litigation.
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