Agricultural News
Consequences of Regulating Dust Studied
Wed, 23 Feb 2011 17:57:59 CST
The National Cattlemen's Beef Association - concerned with the possible EPA regulation of coarse particulate matter - contracted with Dr. John Richards of Air Quality Control Techniques to take a look at the likely effects of regulating dust on attainment and nonattainment regions throughout the country. According to the study - moving forward with regulation at anticipated levels would bring vast areas of the U.S. into nonattainment or to the brink of nonattainment.
NCBA Chief Environmental Counsel Tamara Thies says EPA claims the current standard and the standard they are expected to propose are essentially equivalent in terms of health protection. But while both standards may protect the public's health equally - she says this study confirms that changing the standard would be devastating for our economy - and particularly for rural America. Thies says regulating dust at levels twice as stringent will wreak havoc in rural agricultural areas in the country that would have to purchase new, expensive technologies to control dust.
Specifically, the study concludes the anticipated revised standard would put some rural areas that are currently in attainment in Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Texas and Wyoming into nonattainment. The study also concludes many more areas would be brought to the brink of unattainment.
Thies says dust is inevitable in the livestock industry. The bureaucrats at EPA may not understand the industry - but she says this study is further proof that regulating dust at such unprecedented levels will be financially devastating for production agriculture.
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