Ranchers, DOE officials meet over livestock stream pollution letters

Farmers and livestock producers packed the Public Service Building auditorium Dec. 12 to listen and respond to state Department of Ecology assessment letters on the potential of livestock to pollute watersheds.

DOE officials were invited to the meeting by the Whitman Conservation District.

Ray Ledgerwood, program coordinator for the state Conservation Commission, began the meeting saying that the discussion was about the watershed assessments done earlier this year and laid the ground rules for the afternoon.

“Yes, there’s some issues to be talked about, but there will be no personal attacks,”...