(WNY News Now) – WASHINGTON, D.C. – A bipartisan group of lawmakers, led by Congressman Nick Langworthy, has penned a letter to EPA Secretary Michael S. Regan, urging the agency to avoid imposing additional reporting requirements on farmers for air emissions resulting from the natural breakdown of animal manure.
“Farmers and ranchers across our nation are good stewards of the land and have worked tirelessly to develop new practices on their farms to address environmental concerns,” the members wrote. “While we understand the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, requiring the reporting of air emissions from family farms in the future would put an unnecessary and unjustifiable burden on our nation’s agricultural producers. Instead, it is the role of the government to continue providing producers with the tools we know work: voluntary, incentive-based, and locally-led conservation programs.”
“We strongly urge EPA to continue to uphold the farm manure exemption from current reporting requirements to avoid imposing an unnecessary regulatory burden on our farmers and ranchers. Thank you for your consideration of our comments,” the letter continued.
Farm manure is currently exempt from the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA).
This letter is also signed by Reps. Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA), Brad Finstad (R-MN), John Joyce (R-PA), Barry Moore (R-AL), Glenn Grothman (R-WI), Trent Kelly (R-MS), Scott Fitzgerald (R-WI), Don Bacon (R-NE), David Valadao (R-CA), Mark Alford (R-MO), Michelle Fischbach (R-MN), Doug LaMalfa (R-CA), Mike Bost (R-IL), Dusty Johnson (R-SD), John Rose (R-TN), Rudy Yakym (R-IN), David Rouzer (R-NC), Claudia Tenney (R-NY), Michael Simpson (R-ID), Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA), Marc Molinaro (R-NY), Jim Baird (R-IN), Ronny Jackson (R-TX), Mike Carey (R-OH), Rick Crawford (R-AR), Lance Gooden (R-TX), Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-OR), Jerry Carl (R-AL), Erin Houchin (R-IN), Lloyd Smucker (R-PA), Elise Stefanik (R-NY), Ben Cline (R-VA), H. Morgan Griffith (R-VA), August Pfluger (R-TX), Brian Babin (R-TX), Jake Ellzey (R-TX), Pete Sessions (R-TX), Ashley Hinson (R-IA), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA), Don Davis (D-NC), Josh Harder (D-CA), Sanford Bishop (D-GA), Henry Cuellar (D-TX), and Jimmy Panetta (D-CA).
The letter is supported by 25 organizations including Alabama Farmers Federation, American Farm Bureau Federation, American Horse Council, American Sheep Industry Association, Idaho Dairymen’s Association, Indiana Farm Bureau, Livestock Marketing Association, Midwest Council on Agriculture, National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, National Bison Association, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, National Chicken Council, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, National Milk Producers Federation, National Pork Producers Council, National Turkey Federation, New York Farm Bureau, New York Pork Producers, Northeast Dairy Farmers Cooperatives, R-CALF USA, Rural & Agriculture Council of America, Texas Farm Bureau, Texas Sheep & Goat Raisers Association, United Egg Producers, U.S. Cattlemen’s Association.
The full letter can be found here.
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