12/21/06 Groups challenge EPA on dust

Washington Ag December 21, 2006 Both the American Farm Bureau Federation and the National Cattlemen's Beef Association are challenging the EPA's new final rule on fugitive dust in court saying the science does not warrant the regulation of agricultural dust. American Farm Bureau President Bob Stallman says the decision to regulate agricultural dust will negatively impact farmers and ranchers. While dust storms in Washington can cause a technical violation of heavy particulate or PM10 standards, there is a Natural Events Policy which exempts those events from being an exceedance and a violation. So Doug Schneider with the air quality program at the Washington State Department of Ecology doesn't see a big impact on ag from the EPA rule. Schneider: "I don't think we will see an impact from the standard itself. We may seem some impact from the fact that EPA is going to be transitioning from the Natural Events Policy to an Exceptional Events rule." One requirement of the Natural Events Policy has been that farmers utilize best management practices to control dust and Schneider says it will be important to continue implementing such practices. Schneider spoke at the recent Columbia Plateau PM10 Project Conference. The Project is a broad-scale research program for agricultural air quality issues. I'm Bob Hoff.