EPA Gets Sued Over Exemption For Factory Farm Pollutants

Environmental Groups Cry Fowl Play

Tuesday, January, 20th, the last day of the Bush administration, a new regulation went into effect that exempts dairies and other large-scale livestock operations from having to notify Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officials when toxic pollutants are emitted.  Six environmental groups have already filed suits against the EPA.  One of them, Earthjustice, says the “exemption threatens the health and safety of people living and working near lagoons that store farm animals’ urine and feces, sources of dangerous ammonia and hydrogen sulfide” (link).

Medical professionals who treat thousands of Valley residents suffering from pollution-related respiratory problems were shocked. Dr. David Pepper of the Medical Alliance for Healthy Air said, “This is an outrage. Our patients are suffering. The EPA should to come to my clinic, visit with an asthmatic child, and then explain to the parents why they are letting air quality worsen and favoring giant factory farms over the health of children.”

Earthjustice lawyer, Bruce Nilles, vowed to investigate all legal options to overturn this decision. “The Administration is playing special interest politics, putting the health of California residents at great risk. This is patently illegal. We are consulting with medical professionals and community groups about the appropriate legal response,” said Nilles.

Earthjustice

Most have little doubt that big agribusiness lobbyists were behind this perverse and baffling change in environmental policy.  For there is no conceivable way in which the EPA or the Bush administration can say that this is “for the people”.  A polluting industry is a polluting industry, and they need oversight, regardless of whether it feeds us, makes toys, or moves us from here to there.  This new regulation reduces the EPA’s right, ability, and responsibility to protect the environment and people from deleterious factors in the environment.

This (de)regulation is one last sucker punch from the Bush administration to the environment.

Good riddance.

EDIT:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama’s new administration ordered all federal agencies and departments on Tuesday to stop any pending regulations until they can be reviewed by incoming staff, halting last-minute Bush orders in their tracks.

Hopefully this regulation will be one of them.

January 21, 2009  Tags: , , , , ,   Posted in: Politics

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