Fincher, Noem Call On EPA To Abandon Unreasonable Dust Standards

Press Release

U.S. Representatives Stephen Fincher (R-TN), Kristi Noem (R-SD) and 99 additional colleagues, today sent a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa Jackson, asking that the EPA refrain from adopting a revised and more stringent dust standard. Reps. Fincher and Noem argue that implementing this harsh dust standard could "decrease the ability of the agriculture community in the United States to meet the world's food needs as well as decrease productivity, increase food prices, and incur job losses in rural America."

Fincher said: "The EPA is completely out of touch. Dust is part of rural America -- it is absolutely unreasonable for the EPA to put a price tag on communities for carrying out activities essential to their well-being. This is a prime example of federal regulations gone too far. During these difficult economic times, our nation's agriculture community simply cannot afford another harsh and overreaching EPA standard. The Administration should focus on ways to create jobs in Tennessee and across the country and I fear this new dust standard will only slow economic growth and job creation in rural areas."

Noem said: "As an experienced farmer and rancher I know there is already enough uncertainty in agriculture. The last thing South Dakota producers need is the EPA reaching even further into their operation by enacting new dust standards. Rural South Dakotans, including my family, have lived with farm dust for generations. The EPA should drop any plans they have for further regulation and instead focus their energy on how we can encourage job creation and entrepreneurship."

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