State regulators have proposed tightening oversight of large livestock facilities, a move environmentalists worry doesn’t go far enough while some farmers fear it goes too far.

The changes could affect every livestock farmer in Illinois, but aren’t likely to have an impact on a controversial proposal for the largest dairy farm in the state, near Galena.

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency recently outlined the proposed changes in response to a report by the U.S. EPA, which found that the state wasn’t adequately regulating concentrated animal feeding operations, or CAFOs.

These farms are part of a nationwide movement toward larger, automated operations, where animals – most often pigs – are kept primarily in buildings rather than outdoors. Some CAFOs produce as much waste as small cities and have come under fire for foul odors and water contamination.

The U.S. EPA report ordered Illinois to create a comprehensive inventory of CAFOs, revamp its inspection program and develop standard procedures for investigating citizen complaints. If the state fails to act, the U.S. EPA could move to take over the Illinois CAFO program and enforce the law itself.

The state EPA proposed a statewide inventory to figure out the number, location, size and type of animals at CAFOs currently.

The agency estimates there are about 3,500 such operations in the state and has contracted with Western Illinois University in Macomb to do a pilot inventory in seven counties. This would be followed by an interim statewide list, which would be used to prioritize inspections and permits, an official said.