|
House T&I Committee to mark up the Silviculture Regulatory Consistency Act
Story Date: 8/1/2012
| |
Source: NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STATE DEPTS. OF AGRICULTURE, 7/31/12
The House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee is in the process of marking up several pieces of legislation that are relevant to agriculture. These pieces of legislation, including the Farmer's Privacy Act of 2012 (H.R. 5961), the Silviculture Regulatory Consistency Act (H.R. 2541), and the Farmers Undertake Environmental Land Stewardship Act (H.R. 3158), are intended to address what their authors deem to be excessive regulation on farmers across the United States.
The Farmers Undertake Environmental Land Stewardship Act (H.R. 3158), sponsored by Representative Eric Crawford (R-AR), requires the Administrator of EPA, when implementing the Spill, Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure rule (SPCC), to require certification of compliance with this rule from either a professional engineer or the owner for a farm as so defined by the legislation. Currently, this certification is required to be completed by a professional engineer. This bill was approved by the committee by means of a voice vote on Thursday, July 26.
H.R. 2541, sponsored by Representative Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-WA), amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (Clean Water Act) by prohibiting the Administrator of EPA from requiring National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits for discharge resulting from certain silvicultural activities. Until a recent decision by the Ninth Circuit, these activities had been considered non-point sources and were not required to obtain NPDES permits. This legislation would turn back that decision. Earlier this year NASDA and other state agency associations wrote to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson urging her support in maintaining that classification. NASDA recently joined a coalition of agricultural stakeholders urging support for this legislation.
H.R. 5961, sponsored by Representative Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), would limit EPA's use of aerial surveillance to inspect farms. The committee's planned markup of H.R. 2541 and H.R. 5961 was postponed due to votes, but is expected to be rescheduled soon.
|
|
|
|
