Here we go, everyone: another attempt by our "Environmental Protection Agency" to further erode clean air and water standards by exempting factory farms from regulation.

The EPA is accepting public comments until March 27 on its proposal to ELIMINATE clean air standards for factory farms. While federal law requires industry to report hazardous substances released into the atmosphere, the agency feels factory farms should be EXEMPT in order "to reduce the burden on the regulated community." The proposal explains that it's "too difficult" for factory farms to comply.

Oh dear. Poor, poor factory farms. Poor, poor production factories responsible for more emissions that all transportation combined. Poor factories responsible for dead rivers, ponds, and other waterways, the extinction of many species, illness and disease in nearby residents...and the wretched suffering of billions of animals every year grown to satisfy the human palate. They're having such a difficult time complying with clean air and water standards (such that we have). I feel for them.

(The proposal actually acknowledges that no penalty results from failure to comply...so what's the point of requiring compliance?)

PLEASE--EVERYONE--go to http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_10380.cfm to register your objection to yet another predictable assault on the environment by the governmental agency charged with protecting it. A sample letter is provided--please make it your own. Send the Organic Consumers link to everyone you know. And hug a tree today, would you?

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