Jackson says EPA doesn’t “have it in” for ag
The overwhelming message from Senate Ag Committee members Thursday to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson is the agency seems bent on over-regulating farmers and ranchers.
Nebraska Senator Mike Johanns told Jackson her agency gives “lip service” to ag but is actually hammering the little guy.
“The big guy that can get capital in loans, and access that, will somehow find a way to deal with what you’re requiring even though it’s enormously onerous. And, even when you exempt, or we exempt, the smaller operator they still feel the ripple effects of what you are doing,” Johanns said.
Jackson testified that neither she or her agency have it in for agriculture. She said the contributions the ag industry make are numerous. Jackson pointed to her agency’s revised decision regarding biofuels in the RFS-2 as a showing of their willingness to listen and change course. And, as a direct result of meetings with ag representatives, Jackson says they are now taking an ag-centric approach on what’s referred to in the ag world as the ”dust rule.”
“I’m asking our office of air and radiation to carry out an extensive effort to solicit information about the issues associated with PM10– the dust issue—and it’s implication for rural communities and agriculture before we make any proposal on this issue,” Jackson testified.
Jackson stressed there is NO dust rule and there won’t be until all sides of the issue are considered.
As for the E15 waiver, she says she’s been assured by Energy Secretary Chu that tests on 2007 and newer cars are nearly complete and a decision is not far off. She says EPA expects to receive the final results September 30th.
“Given that, we are prepared to render our waiver decision within two weeks following receipt of those tests,” Jackson testified.
Jackson says tests are pending on vehicles dating from 2001 – and admitted she is not aware of any tests showing harmful effects of ethanol use in older vehicles.
