EPA Seeks Injunction to Force Yakima Valley Dairies to Fix Drinking Water

Contributing sentiments towards policy:

52% : The companies sued by the agency include Cow Palace; the Dolsen Companies; Three D Properties LLC; George and Margaret LLC; George DeRuyter and Son Dairy LLC; D and J Dairy LLC; Liberty Dairy LLC; Arizona Acres Limited Partnership; Liberty Acres LLC; Bosma Dairy Partners LLC; and Bosma Enterprises Inc.An aquifer below the Lower Yakima Valley supplies drinking water to about 56,000 people, according to EPA, and about one-third of those residents rely on private wells.
49% : In the latest motion, EPA asked the court to require the dairy operators to "immediately provide" alternative water to residents in the region, to resume monitoring of nitrates in groundwater, and to address "potential leakage" from a manure storage lagoon.
45% : "These immediate measures are necessary to abate the public health threat to affected residents until nitrate levels in groundwater are substantially reduced and residents have access to safe drinking water," EPA said in the motion.
33% : EPA sued the dairies in June 2024, alleging the operators of those dairies failed to control nitrate pollution from their operations which led to contaminated drinking wells.

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