Livestock deaths will take center state at the Fresno County Board of Supervisors’ special meeting Tuesday.
The board is holding the special meeting to adopt a resolution to declare a local emergency in order to deal with the unusual increase in livestock deaths due to the recent run of hot weather.
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The rendering facility in Kerman has been filled to the brim with livestock carcasses and cannot accept any more, leading to carcasses on farms piling up across the county.
On Aug. 20, the Department of Public Health determined that the continued stockpile of carcasses will become a public health hazard and emergency disposal measures will be needed.
Assuming the local emergency is ratified by the supervisors, the county will be able to take whatever action it deems necessary to dispose of the carcasses that comply with state rules.
Although, the county’s actions will be exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act.
The California Environmental Protection Agency recommends four actions to deal with this emergency: temporarily store the carcasses for transport to the rendering facility, dispose the carcasses at permitted landfills, on-site composting and on-site burial.
The board is also scheduled to discuss the county’s lawsuit with Immanuel Schools in closed session.
Last week, the county followed through with its threat and filed an injunction requesting the immediate closure of Immanuel Schools.
Immanuel Schools reopened for in-person instruction against the state and county’s orders regarding the coronavirus pandemic and faces a $1,000 fine from the county for every day students come to campus.
The district announced it will seek legal action against the state.
