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Farm Bureau: EPA regulation proposal ‘slippery slope’

The Environmental Protection Agency proposed Friday to regulate greenhouse gasemissions.  Calling them a threat to human health, the agency identified carbon dioxide, methane and four other gases as contributing to global warming.

While the Obama Administration has made no secret of its plan to reduce carbon dioxideproduction, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson stated that they “would rather have Congress write a comprehensive federal strategy than rely on EPA to create a complex set of bureaucratic regulations.”

Following the announcement, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said sheis, “committed to moving clean energy legislation this year.”  The U.S. Supreme Court ruled two years ago the EPA had to do something about regulating carbon dioxide as a pollutant but the Bush Administration opposed the move on the grounds that it would harm theeconomy.

“Greenhouse gas pollution is a serious problem,” said Jackson, in statement issued Friday.  She added that solutions to the pollution problem will create millions of green jobs and will end the country’s dependence on foreignoil.

The American Farm Bureau Federation, however, is concerned about the impact the proposal will have on agriculture.

“If EPA were to regulate greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act, U.S. agriculture would be hardhit,” said Bob Stallman, president of the AFBF, in a prepared statement.

“Many agriculture facilities would be subject to permit requirements for structure construction or modification,” he said, calling the announcement “aslippery slope for agriculture.”

Stallman also reiterated an earlier Farm Bureau charge that under the ruling, livestock producers would be assessed on the amount of CO2 emitted by their animals.  EPA has denied that allegation.

Thedeclaration launches a 60-day public comment period after which the EPA will finalize the health ruling.