The Underregulated Underbelly of Factory Farms
In this episode of Equity In Every Drop, host Thomas Hynes speaks with Kelly Hunter Foster, Senior Attorney at Waterkeeper Alliance and a member of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Animal Agriculture and Water Quality subcommittee. Kelly offers an in-depth look at the regulatory challenges surrounding concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), exposing industry loopholes and the inadequacies of current federal and state permits. She explains how underregulation and lack of enforcement enable widespread water pollution and pose serious public health risks, particularly for vulnerable communities near these facilities.
Sandy Bihn, Lake Erie Waterkeeper from Toledo, Ohio, provides an on-the-ground perspective by sharing the devastating local impacts of CAFOs on Lake Erie. She details the rise of harmful algal blooms and the political and economic obstacles affected communities face.
Both guests emphasize the urgent need for more robust regulatory measures and call on large agribusinesses to take responsibility for their environmental impact. This episode highlights the human and ecological costs of industrial agriculture’s water pollution while underscoring the critical need for public awareness and action.
Creators and Guests
Host
Thomas Hynes
Thomas Hynes is the Communications and Marketing Manager for Waterkeeper Alliance. In addition to podcast hosting and production duties, he manages and writes all sorts of editorial content for the organization, including blogs, feature articles, advocacy alerts, email campaigns, social media content, and more. Thomas grew up on the Long Island Sound in Connecticut and now makes his home two blocks from the East River in Brooklyn, New York. He primarily commutes across the river to the Waterkeeper Alliance office via ferry boat. Thomas was drawn to environmental work in order to take an active role in the fight against climate change and help bring justice to the rotten polluters who seek to ruin our shared resources. Before working at Waterkeeper Alliance, Thomas wrote a nonfiction book about the history of wildlife in New York City. "Wild City" also highlights the power and success of the Clean Water Act, and other environmental regulations, in leading an unlikely ecological turnaround. In his spare time, Thomas photographs the many tugboats traversing the city’s various waterways. Thomas lives in Brooklyn with his wife and their son. They can be found most weekends walking or biking along the East River.
Guest
Kelly Hunter Foster
Kelly Hunter Foster has served as Senior Attorney at Waterkeeper Alliance since December 2010. Kelly supports a diverse network of relationships with Waterkeeper Organizations, NGOs, agencies, community members, policy makers, and grassroots organizations through technical assistance; coalitions and partnerships; regulatory, legislative, and policy evaluations; and regulatory actions and litigation.
Producer
Lori Harrison
Lori Harrison is the Communications and Marketing Director for Waterkeeper Alliance. She oversees multi-faceted communications and marketing activities to advance the organization’s mission of protecting our right to clean water in communities around the world. With 25 years of experience in strategic water communications and mission-based work, Lori is an award-winning writer and content creator. Her expertise lies in translating complex concepts into relatable ideas, fostering engagement, and promoting sustainable practices and solutions. Her work not only aims to protect clean water, public health, and the environment but also focuses on "connecting the disconnect" between people and this essential resource. Before joining Waterkeeper Alliance, Lori had a background in corporate marketing for professional sports and held various communications and creative positions with a non-profit educational organization for global water professionals. Notable achievements include creating the WATER'S WORTH IT® grassroots awareness campaign and writing the award-winning children's book, “Why Water's Worth It,” designed to educate and inspire the next generation of water protectors. Lori lives in Virginia with her husband and their two children.
Guest
Sandy Bihn
Sandy Bihn is the Lake Erie Waterkeeper and executive director of the organization that seeks to have fishable, swimmable, drinkable water for the Lake Erie watershed through advocacy, education, litigation, and innovation.
