The Environmental Protection Agency determined that more restrictive federal wastewater regulations and new cost burdens would be harmful for U.S. meat and poultry processing operations. The agency also concluded that the current system of federal, state, and local requirements already in place under the Clean Water Act is effective and works well.
“The National Chicken Council appreciates EPA’s commonsense approach in regulating water quality and for recognizing that industry is already being regulated effectively,” said Dr. Ashley Peterson, NCC senior vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs. “The Biden administration didn’t allow adequate time for meaningful public comment on the proposed rule, which, if enacted, would have led to numerous facility closures, major job losses, and higher production costs.”
The EPA engaged in a comprehensive and multi-year review to determine whether the existing federal effluent limitations for the meat, poultry, and rendering industries are sufficiently protective or if additional regulations were necessary.
