August 21, 2024

Oregon, US agencies revise permit for large chicken farm amid legal challenges

The Department of Agriculture of Oregon, US (ODA) and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) have revised a key permit for a proposed large-scale chicken farm near Scio city, following legal challenges and community opposition, Capital Press reported.

J-S Ranch, which could house up to 566,400 chickens at a time, will now operate under a national pollutant discharge elimination system individual permit. This permit will regulate the manure, litter, and processed wastewater generated by the facility to ensure that its operations do not negatively impact water quality.

Previously, in May 2022, J-S Ranch was granted a general water pollution control facility permit. However, the state withdrew the initial permit in April this year, as ODA and DEQ faced lawsuits over concerns about potential pollution from the confined animal feeding operation (CAFO).

The agencies were under an October 31, 2024, deadline to either affirm, modify, or reverse their original decision. The newly proposed permit, while updated, does not seem to introduce significant changes, according to both the farm's developer and opponents.

Eric Simon, a veteran poultry farmer behind the J-S Ranch project, noted that while the state had made some modifications, primarily changes to groundwater monitoring, the basic proposal remained intact.

-      Capital Press