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EPA air standards costly for farmers: AFBF

The American Farm Bureau Federation says it believes EPA’s proposed restrictions on air quality standards would damage agriculture and rural communities.  In comments submitted to the EPA, the Farm Bureau says the proposal, to tighten ozone standards, would impose significant costs to farmers without a guaranteed public benefit.

The EPA proposes to lower allowable ozone-forming emissions from the current 75 parts per billion, to below 65 parts per billion.  The agency says that will significantly reduce the number of counties where ozone pollution is evident.

The strengthened standards, to take effect in 2025, would improve public health protection, particularly for children, the elderly, and all people with lung diseases such as asthma, according to the EPA website.

The proposed ozone standards would limit business expansion in nearly every populated region of the U.S., said Dale Moore,  Executive Director of Public Policy at the AFBF.   That, he says, would create fewer jobs and make U.S. industry less competitive in the world market.