WASHINGTON — The House on Thursday approved legislation that would block the Environmental Protection Agency from issuing any new regulations of “coarse particulate matter” — otherwise known as farm dust.
The entire Arkansas delegation voted for the bill, which passed 268-150. Rep. Mike Ross, D-Prescott, was one of only 33 Democrats to back it. No Republican opposed the bill.
Rep. Rick Crawford, R-Jonesboro, who serves on the House Agriculture Committee, said the bill is needed to protect farmers from the “regulatory whims of the EPA.”
“You can’t farm without creating a little dust, and the EPA’s consideration of a new standard shows an utter disregard for the impact such regulations would have on Arkansas’ agricultural community, which contributes over $17 billion to our state’s economy annually,” he said.
Opponents argued that legislation is not needed to block the EPA because the agency has said that it is not seeking to regulate farm dust. The proposed bill, they said, would be harmful because it would also prevent EPA from regulating particulates produced by mining operations, refineries and other large industrial sources.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
“Hiding behind this made up threat (to farmers), this bill inflicts very real harm because it also blocks EPA from setting standards for dirty soot that gets spewed out of massive mines and refineries,” said Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass.
Rep. Ed Whitfield, R-Ky, argued that Congress needs to make it easier for the 2.2 million farms in the United States to thrive and not burden them with costly and unnecessary regulations.
Crawford said that the legislation would provide farmers and ranchers with important protections, which is why it has strong support from more than 185 organizations including the Arkansas Farm Bureau and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.
The bill has no real chance of becoming law. Senate Democratic leaders have said they will not approve it, and President Barack Obama has said he would veto it.