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Enviro groups use civil rights to challenge permits

September 11, 2014 – In a novel approach, environmental and community health groups in North Carolina recently filed a petition with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) claiming that a general permit issued by the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for thousands of hog farms in the state violates the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

The petition challenges DENR’s issuance of a general permit covering more than 2,000 hog facilities in March of 2014. The groups claim the general permit contains inadequate standards for manure management and but for the race and national origin of the persons who are impacted by the decision, the DENR would have required more stringent environmental requirements. READ MORE