Discharge permits could impact poultry facilities

MARYLAND–Legislation that aims to expand and put more regulations on discharge permits for poultry houses in the state is working its way through both the House and Senate.

House Bill 1312 and Senate Bill 841 would prohibit the Department of the Environment from issuing certain discharge permits for new and existing industrial poultry operations to cut down on water pollution from poultry houses.

A retired farmer said that this will impact industrial poultry operations that produce 300,000 or more broiler chickens per year, and essentially could eliminate the poultry industry in the state within five years.

“That’s legally how they’re stopping it, by blocking your discharge permits for any chicken capacity over 300,000 per farm, per year,” Eddie Johnson, retired farmer, said. “It’s a big deal, it will be a big deal for the Eastern Shore, especially if it passes because it will wipe us out.”

Johnson tells 47ABC that by modifying this bill, more than 20,000 jobs would be lost on the Eastern Shore because of chicken houses going away.

The House will be have a hearing Wednesday about this bill and next week it will be heard in the Senate.