RALEIGH -- The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality has reached a settlement agreement with a coalition of community-based environmental groups that will improve regulatory oversight of industrial swine operations and better protect nearby communities from health and environmental impacts. The agreement marks the resolution of civil rights complaints filed against the state environmental agency in 2014 and 2016.

“The agreement underscores DEQ’s commitment to strengthening environmental protection and public engagement in communities that are impacted by industrial swine facilities,” said DEQ Secretary Michal Regan.

Under the agreement, which resolves complaints filed under the federal Title VI anti-discrimination law, DEQ proposes to make several modifications to the state’s animal operations general permit to provide closer regulatory oversight and stronger measures for environmental protection. The general permit is up for renewal this year. DEQ will  seek public input from stakeholders  and other interested parties within the next month.

DEQ will also design and implement an air quality study in Duplin County and expand its existing water quality monitoring program in Sampson and Duplin counties. The new monitoring will help the state determine if environmental impacts are occurring in the region and if so, how to best eliminate those impacts. In addition, DEQ will develop a more robust Title VI program governing all DEQ activities, including a method to assess potential community impacts related to agency decisions.

After completing the new measures, DEQ will review the outcome of the general permit renewal process, the monitoring data collected, and the results of an assessment of community impacts to determine if additional action is needed.