New Water Regulations For Farmers Coming

A Central Valley water board has rescinded a decision that exempted thousands of farmers from more stringent water pollution regulations after the state attorney general said the board´s initial vote was tainted.

During a hearing yesterday, the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board said it will create a new process to regulate farms that discharge water into rivers and streams.

The board in December extended a 20-year waiver that that allows dairies, poultry facilities and other closed-animal farms to avoid stringent water pollution regulations.

But Attorney General Bill Lockyer said the decision was “irreparably tainted” when board member Beverly Alves approved the waiver. Alves owns a 1,200-acre farm that drains irrigation water into the Sacramento River.