U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE) led 17 of her Republican colleagues in introducing legislation that would exclude air emissions from animal waste at farms from federal emergency notification requirements.
Specifically, S. 2430 would clarify that the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) is not intended to regulate manure odors, which pose no threat to public safety, according to a bill summary provided by Sen. Fischer’s staff.
“My bill would make permanent the previous administration’s reporting exemption under EPCRA for animal waste emissions,” Sen. Fischer said. “Rural America doesn’t need Washington bureaucrats pushing through more rules that burden producers and provide no value to local emergency planning commissions.”
The legislation, introduced on July 20, also would ensure that emergency first responders are not burdened with unnecessary reporting, the summary says.
“The last thing producers need are more government regulations. And first responders, who deal with real public safety emergencies every day, don’t need to be inundated with irrelevant reports,” said Sen. Fischer.
Sen. Fischer sponsored S. 2430 alongside 17 original cosponsors, including U.S. Sens. Joni Ernst (R-IA), Steve Daines (R-MT), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Mike Rounds (R-SD), and John Thune (R-SD).
The measure is supported by the American Farm Bureau Federation, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, the U.S. Poultry and Egg Association, United Egg Producers, the National Pork Producers Council, the National Turkey Federation, the National Chicken Council, and the National Association of SARA Title III Program Officials (NASTTPO).