Ignorance of the law excuses no man. Not that all men know the law, but because ‘tis an excuse every man will plead, and no man can tell how to refute him.
That sentiment, expressed by John Selden, a 16th Century English judge, still holds true today. However, with all due respect to our country’s forbearers, we operate under a more complicated set of laws than the English did in the 1500s. With a few exceptions, most activities that were crimes in the Old World, such as theft, are still considered criminal today. However, in our modern society, the spectrum of activities that can result in criminal liability has expanded well beyond anything Mr. Selden ever contemplated. This is especially true in the area of environmental crimes.
Livestock operators should be aware that EPA is stepping up its criminal enforcement activities against Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs). Just this month, EPA released a Criminal Enforcement Alert announcing that it was targeting CAFOs for criminal enforcement if the CAFOs discharge without a permit. In the bulletin, EPA announces that it will criminally prosecute CAFO owners for knowing and negligent discharges of pollutants from their operation.
Read the rest of this post on John Dillard’s AgWeb.com Blog – Ag in the Courtroom.
