Tuesday, December 6, 2011

The issue may be dust in the wind, but Republicans are still moving to block it.

Environmental Protection Agency officials have said repeatedly that they won't propose new regulations to limit dust kicked up by farm equipment. But anti-regulation sentiment is strong this year on the campaign trail -- which is why House Republicans are planning to vote this week to prevent the imaginary regulation.

Republicans and even some Democrats have told farm-state audiences that the EPA is considering a crackdown on farms, despite
an agency statement last month calling that a "myth."

Republicans say they want more certainty for the agriculture industry. The House GOP has pushed a host of measures aimed at weakening, delaying or scrapping environmental regulations in recent months, saying they view them as job killers.