Eau Claire County passes temporary moratorium on CAFOs

In a room full of water advocates, the Eau Claire County Board passed a six-month moratorium on concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), prohibiting any new permits or expansions of current permit.

The board also created a study committee to review local ordinances and make recommendations on changes that protect groundwater, a source that many Eau Claire residents rely on for drinking water, from contamination.

The Eau Claire County Land Conservation Department will manage the study committee and the county conservationist will appoint the members, which will be made up of a diverse citizenry including environmental advocates, small farmers, CAFO owners, and government representatives.

A Wisconsin Conservation Voters action team bolstered community support for the moratorium and study committee and packed the room on the day of the vote with water advocates testifying on the importance of clean drinking water.