EPA rules to apply to small farms
DELMARVA - An offer of limited amnesty for air pollution violations from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to chicken growers was recently extended by several months to July 1.Some local poultry producers, however, were surprised to learn that the rules in question would be applied to them.
A public meeting to discuss the proposal is scheduled to take place in Georgetown Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at the Delaware Technical and Community College campus.
The EPA published notice in the Federal Register and on its Web site in January that it had drawn up a draft consent agreement regarding air emissions from small-scale livestock farms.
The agreement, which growers originally had until May 1 to sign, would have farmers pay up to $2,500 into a research fund, make their operation open to environmental monitoring and install pollution-control equipment if necessary.
In return, the EPA would promise not to sue them for violations of the Clean Air Act that the monitoring might uncover. Farm operations found to be imminent threats to public health would still be prosecuted, the EPA said in a notice sent to many Delmarva farmers.
The proposed rules are similar to those in effect for large chicken farms, holding 125,000 or more animals, that went into effect in 2003.
Source: delmarvanow.com
19 April 2005
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