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The study, ordered by the state Legislature, shows chemical fertilizers and livestock manure are the main source of nitrate contamination in groundwater for more than 1 million Californians in the Salinas Valley and parts of the Central Valley.
“Even if we were to eliminate all the sources of nitrate that we have today, we would still be dealing with this issue.”
The study — covering the Salinas Valley and Fresno, Tulare, Kings and Kern counties — concluded half of the 2.6 million people in those areas live in communities where raw drinking water sources have registered nitrate levels exceeding the standard.
Cleaning up polluted aquifers would be too difficult, the study concludes. Improved farming practices and water blending, treatment and alternative water sources are more cost effective.
The study estimates addressing current nitrate contamination will cost the state $20 million to $35 million per year. The study proposes a fertilizer tax which would be used by affected communities to mitigate for nitrate contamination. Another funding option is water use fees from affected residents.
The study found that nitrate leaching from agricultural land is responsible for 96% of current groundwater contamination. And while fertilizer use has leveled off in recent years, the amount of dairy manure has increased, making for a net increase over the past decade in nitrates loaded into the ground.
Originally posted by Wrabbit2000
Well, if you've lived in Salinas, then you know that anything that hurts farming there is an outright catastrophe for the whole Valley.
California just can't quit....not even for a little bit. Their state is going flat broke and on the verge of TOTAL structural collapse in numerous cities as Sacramento itself WOULD be in total collapse if they couldn't still find parlor games and magic tricks to make a crap sandwich look like Steak and Eggs. What matters though? Attack those dirty farmers! Yeah! Go get 'em! There is only a couple viable economic engines left in the whole state and Agriculture takes 2 of the 3 top slots, to my thinking. So, of course.....add more cost, more loss and more regulation to THAT industry. What the heck could possibly go wrong?
The People's Republic of California is alive and well. Da, Comrade. Da.