EPA proposes to drop emission reporting by farms

Environmental Protection Agency scientists have found that emissions of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide from animal manure on large livestock farms pose a threat to human health, but under heavy legal and lobbying pressure from farm interests and farm states, EPA plans to drop regulations that require farms to report their emissions, reports Elizabeth Williamson of The Washington Post. (Associated Press photo by Michael Zachs)

EPA "says local emergency responders don't use the reports, making them unnecessary. But local air-quality agencies, environmental groups and lawmakers who oppose the rule change say the reports are one of the few tools rural communities have for holding large livestock operations accountable for the pollution they produce," Williamson writes. "Opponents of the rule change say agriculture lobbyists orchestrated a campaign to convince the EPA that the reports are not useful and misrepresented the effort as reflecting the views of local officials."

Williamson adds, "The livestock industry has lobbied for years for the rule change. The EPA posted the proposal in the Federal Register while Congress -- which is deeply divided on the issue -- was on its December holiday recess. The change would take effect in October." The period for public comment ends March 28. (Read more)

Here is the key wording of the EPA's proposal, which exempts all farms, regardless of size: "The proposed administrative reporting exemption is limited to releases of hazardous substances to the air where the source of those hazardous substances is animal waste at farms. Notifications must still be made when and if hazardous substances are released to the air from any source other than animal waste (e.g., ammonia tanks) at farms, as well as releases of any hazardous substances at farms to any other environmental media (i.e., soil, ground water, surface water) when the release of those hazardous substances is at or above its reportable quantity for 24 hours." (Read more)