It seems the dust hasn't yet settled around fear the Environmental Protection Agency might regulate farm dust to reduce particulate air pollution. Legislators and farmers have worried for some time EPA has plans to do it, even though the agency has repeatedly said it does not. Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey met with regional EPA officials in Kansas last week and was reassured. "We certainly got that reiterated that they are absolutely not going to regulate farm dust. They have no plans to do it," he told Julie Harker of Brownfield Ag News. He also said it won't happen in a "back door way," such as through a lawsuit.
The speculation may stem from dust regulations EPA enforces in Maricopa County, Arizona, which includes Pheonix. The agency has enforced dust regulation there since 1996 as part of overall efforts to limit particulates. After major dust storms in the city last year, EPA found the county "had failed to limit dust to currently allowable levels." Some legislators say dust storms there are natural because of its desert location. They maintain farms are irrigated and dust storms are beyond legislation.
The speculation may stem from dust regulations EPA enforces in Maricopa County, Arizona, which includes Pheonix. The agency has enforced dust regulation there since 1996 as part of overall efforts to limit particulates. After major dust storms in the city last year, EPA found the county "had failed to limit dust to currently allowable levels." Some legislators say dust storms there are natural because of its desert location. They maintain farms are irrigated and dust storms are beyond legislation.
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