"N.C. Dairy Promises To Improve How It Handles Cow Waste"

"WASHINGTON — The western North Carolina dairy farm that pleaded guilty to allowing 11,000 gallons of cow feces into a nearby river used for drinking water and recreation promised to make a series of changes to its operations to prevent such spills in the future.

The Tap Root Dairy of Fletcher, N.C., filed an 11-point environmental compliance plan with the U.S. District Court last month, pledging to better train its employees and to more closely monitor the animal-waste lagoon that overflowed and spilled into the nearby French Broad River.

The river, which runs through and around the popular tourist destination of Asheville, N.C., supplies drinking water to more than 1 million people and is a frequent recreation spot, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which helped investigate the original incident. A recreation website boasts of the river’s 'long, peaceful stretches' and 'placid pools perfect for swimming.'"

Chris Adams reports for the McClatchy Washington Bureau May 4, 2015.