A measure to tighten up environmental regulations on large chicken operations has been introduced in the Maryland General Assembly.
State Senator Richard Madaleno (D) has authored a bill that would require the Maryland Department of the Environment to identify and monitor all air pollution emitted from these facilities.
They’re known as Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations or CAFO’s.
And, they have stirred up strong opposition on the Eastern Shore where longtime residents have complained about the new facilities that have arrived in their backyard.
Currently, state environmental officials do not monitor the.
Senator Madaleno says studies have shown that these large scale operations can directly threaten communities and waterways with harmful air pollutants.
Supporters of CAFO’s say there are other studies that found no impact.
But, local government officials have put some restrictions on these large operations along guidelines set out by the trade group Delmarva Poultry Industry.
