Something about E. coli outbreak stinks: legislators

Over the course of the last few days, we have seen the caustic
effect that E. coli has had not only on an important California
industry (spinach growers), but on the lives of Americans across
the country who have been hospitalized and even killed by this
bacterial infection.

The Food and Drug Administration is still attempting to
determine where the spinach was infected along the supply chain and
how exactly this happened. But, more likely than not, somewhere
along the production line, the leafy green vegetable met with water
contaminated by cow manure.

Here is where it really gets interesting. Some people in
Washington, perhaps even representing us in this fair state of
California, believe that this manure might not be such a bad
thing.

There are two bills which propose to amend the Superfund Act of
1980, which gives the government authority to respond to the
release of hazardous materials. According to one of the acts, H.R.
4341, “manure is not considered a hazardous substance or
pollutant or contaminant.”

Under pressure from powerful mega-farm lobbies, senators and
congressmen have come to support a measure that basically says,
“Animal poop is not a bad thing.”

I hope that the recent bacterial outbreak kills these measures,
but I just cannot believe that intelligent, elected officials read
this, understood its meaning and put their names on it.

Although I understand that these bills are not supposed to
impact environmental laws, they will exempt gross agricultural
polluters (mainly dairy farm and concentrated animal feeding
operations) from serious monetary liability.

Which brings me to my final point: These bills are bipartisan
affairs, and 10 California representatives have cosponsored H.R.
4341.

Here is where you come into the picture. Elections are in five
weeks, and some of the representatives who support this measure are
fighting tight races to keep their seats in the House. So, if you
can, vote against those who are for these bills and support their
opponents, or at least send them a bottle of manure water to show
your support for this worthy cause.

And just think, if these people are willing to amend a law so
that manure is considered neither hazardous nor polluting, what
other crap might they be willing to do?

See you in November.

Ned Schoolman is a history graduate student.