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More harsh criticism of EPA at D.C. forum

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was the target of some very harsh criticism at a forum in Washington, D.C. Wednesday.

The event, which was hosted by the GOP-sponsored Rural America Solutions Group, was entitled “The EPA’s Assault on Rural America”.   One of those testifying was Tamara Thies, chief environmental counsel for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.  Thies accused the EPA of, in her words, “waging an unprecedented war to end modern production of animal agriculture.

“EPA exhibits reckless indifference to scientific fact and instead imposes stringent regulations based on nothing more than its biased, anti-animal agriculture agenda that will leave many cattle operations with no recourse but to shut down and eliminate jobs,” said Thies.

Thies cited several examples of EPA’s over-regulation, including its proposal to regulate dust.  She says under such rules, farmers and ranchers could be fined for everyday activities like driving a tractor down a dirt road or tilling a field.

“It’s is unlikely these realities are lost on the EPA,” she said, “making one wonder if the real goal of the agency is to do away altogether with economic activity throughout the breadbasket of the country and turn it into a vast national park.”

Wednesday’s forum comes on the heels of last week’s Senate Agriculture Committee hearing, at which EPA administrator Lisa Jackson was grilled by Senators from both parties. 

AUDIO: Tamara Thies remarks (6:30 MP3)