On March 26th, Colorado Livestock Association was notified by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s (CDPHE) Hazardous Materials & Waste Management Division’s intent to modify Section 1.2 of the Solid Waste Regulations (6 CCR 1007-2, Part 1) definitions of agricultural waste, composting, and environmental media.
In CLA’s opinion, the proposed definition’s contained language that would have brought forth unintended consequences upon livestock agriculture and could have impacted the agriculture community’s exclusion from the solid waste regulations.
The CLA Natural Resources Committee submitted a letter to the Division expressing its concerns with the proposed language and requesting that the Division host a formal stakeholder meeting.
Upon receiving CLA’s comments the Division scheduled a stakeholder meeting which was held Thursday, May 3. Colorado’s livestock industry was well represented by livestock members, including; Justin Miller, Todd Sigmon, Jon Slutsky, Don Stieb, Pat Waite, Julie McCaleb, Bill Hammerich and Jessica Lemmel.
Also in attendance were regulatory consultants from AGPROfessionals including, Katharine Lotspeich, Patricia Spaine, and Bob Moser and representatives from the Colorado Pork Producers Council and Colorado Farm Bureau.
The revised definitions will be presented to the Solid and Hazardous Waste Commission at the official rulemaking hearing on May 15th, 2018 at CDPHE.
Based on the agreed upon revisions from the stakeholder meeting, CLA plans to testify in support of the Division’s proposal.
CLA would like to thank its members who were engaged in this issue on conference calls and to those who attended the stakeholder meeting. In addition, thank you to AGPROfessionals for providing their regulatory consult and technical support. We believe that this collaborative process was critical to the positive outcome for livestock agriculture.
The CLA Natural Resources Committee members include; Gary Teague, Chair, Britt Dinis, Steve Gabel, Tom Haren, Chris Kraft, Joel Lemons, Julie McCaleb, Justin Miller, Erik Mohrlang, Todd Sigmon, Jon Slutsky, and Ed Wilgenburg.
