The Third District Court of Appeals ruling has to do with manure and urine from cows on San Joaquin Valley dairy farms and making sure that waste doesn't get into drinking water.
"For the first time it's going to mean that regulators need to really identify what the impact to groundwater quality is going to be of the activities they're permitting."
Laurel Firestone is an attorney with the Community Water
Center. The lawsuit is intended to set up a better system for
protecting people who live near dairy farms.
"This is a huge victory for us."
"It's not a large victory so much as it's documenting a
procedural problem."
That's J.P. Cativiela with Dairy Cares, a statewide coalition
of dairies. He says California's dairy industry will still be
operating under the same rules.
"…which are in fact the toughest dairy regulations in the
nation."
The case is expected to lead to more detailed monitoring of
the Central Valley's 1,600 dairies.