House Bill Exempts Farms from Reporting Emissions

A bipartisan bill to exempt farmers from reporting to the U.S. Coast Guard emissions from the natural breakdown of manure on their farms yesterday was introduced in the U.S. House.

Sponsored by Reps. Billy Long, R-Mo., and Jim Costa, D-Calif., along with 85 cosponsors, the "Agricultural Certainty for Reporting Emissions (ACRE) Act," H.R. 5275, would fix a problem created last April when a U.S. Court of Appeals rejected a 2008 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rule that exempted farmers from reporting routine farm emissions under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA).

CERCLA, more commonly known as the "Superfund Law," is used primarily to clean hazardous waste sites but also includes a mandatory federal reporting component.   ...more

Ken Notes: The change here is a good thing BUT we need to look at waste management across the board, especially in CAFO`s. Trust but verify...