Declaration Of Policy And Statement Of Legislative Intent

TITLE 22 AGRICULTURE AND HORTICULTURE CHAPTER 49 BEEF CATTLE ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL ACT 22-4902. Declaration of policy and statement of legislative intent. (1) The legislature recognizes the importance of protecting state natural resources including surface water and ground water. It is the intent of the legislature to protect the quality of these natural resources while maintaining an ecologically sound, economically viable, and socially responsible beef cattle industry in the state. The beef cattle industry produces manure and process wastewater which, when properly used, supplies valuable nutrients and organic matter to soils and is protective of the environment, but may, when improperly stored and managed, create adverse impacts on natural resources, including waters of the state. This chapter is intended to ensure that manure and process wastewater associated with beef cattle operations are handled in a manner which protects the natural resources of the state. (2)  Successful implementation of this chapter is dependent upon the department receiving adequate funding from the legislature. Moreover, the legislature recognizes that it is important for the state to obtain a delegated national pollutant discharge elimination system (NPDES) program from the United States environmental protection agency under the clean water act. The department’s authority to enforce this chapter should be consistent and coordinated with the department of environmental quality’s authorities pursuant to title 39 , Idaho Code, to protect state ground and surface waters, and to obtain approval from the United States environmental protection agency to implement and administer an Idaho NPDES program governing the discharge of pollutants to the waters of the United States as defined in the federal clean water act.