101 members of the House have sent a letter to EPA administrator Lisa Jackson expressing concerns about EPA’s potential revision to the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Coarse Particulate Matter, more commonly known as dust. Led by Representatives Kristi Noem of South Dakota, and Stephen Fincher of Tennessee, the policymakers collectively emphasized the devastating impact farmers, ranchers and all of rural America would feel if the EPA moves forward with regulating dust at unprecedented levels.
In their letter, House members said - at a time when the focus of the administration should be on economic development and job creation, the EPA is instead promulgating rules which may have the opposite effect. The Representatives believe - if implemented, the standards could subject farmers, livestock producers and industry to burdensome regulations, which could result in fines amounting to 37,500 dollars a day for violations. The letter strongly encouraged the EPA not to implement the more stringent standards.
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association vice president of government affairs Colin Woodall points out - this bipartisan effort to protect farmers, ranchers and all of rural America from a burdensome, unnecessary and scientifically unfounded regulation is reassuring. Woodall continued - we hope Administrator Jackson and all of the officials at EPA are listening – and use - commonsense when proposing or even considering regulations. |