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T,ral Vallee Residents Announce Legal Action Concerning Toxic Air Viola* ^s at California Industrial... Pagel of 3 Zhe W nan@ISoct�ty of the United States I humanesociety.org Central Valley Residents Announce Legal Action Concerning Toxic Air Violations at California Industrial Egg Farm ................................................................................................................................... 000 July 24, 2008 Factory Farm Opposing Prop 2 is Emitting Massive Amounts of Ammonia The Humane Society of the United States and several individual homeowners in Lathrop, Calif., have filed notice of their intent to sue Olivera Egg Ranch over the toxic pollution coming from the facility. This giant factory farm confines 600,000 - 700,000 hens in cramped, barren, wire cages and dumps the manure into multi -acre cesspools that release hazardous amounts of ammonia every day. The egg factory farm is having a devastating impact on the local environment. Olivera neighbor Jeff Origer, a self-employed plumber, has to seal his home and use air filters to try and keep the horrible odor out. And because of Olivera's pollution he and his wife "get sore throats all the time. Two to four times a year I've gone to Urgent Care for upper respiratory infections and I can't breathe." Because of the powerful odor and its sickening effects, neighbors of the factory farm are essentially prisoners in their own homes, seldom visited by friends and family. "Sometimes friends and family have come to visit us and they just get back in the car and leave," says Wayne Yepez, another close neighbor of Olivera. "Sometimes people who come actually have gotten sick and physically vomited. It's embarrassing, it's isolating." Along with other industrial factory farm corporations, Olivera is a major funder of the political campaign to oppose Proposition 2. The ballot measure—supported by animal welfare groups, consumer advocates, environmentalists, veterinarians, family farmers, and others—would phase out the inhumane confinement of animals in tiny crates and cages where they don't even have enough room to turn around and stretch their limbs. So far, according to state election records, Olivera has donated more than $10,000 to the political committee of industrial factory farmers opposing Prop 2. Olivera exposes nearby residential neighbors to ammonia, a toxic pollutant. Residents describe the smells from Olivera as http://www.hsus.orglpress_and_publications/press_releaseslolivera072408.html?print=t 10/27/2008