Environment

Bush Administration De-regulates Factory Farm Polluters

by Karenke4 | December 19, 2008 at 02:48 pm

262 views | 18 Recommendations | 6 comments

The Bush administration exempted CAFOs (combined animal feeding operations) from having to report hazardous air emissions on Thursday.

Factory farms raise thousands of animals for the US meat industry. The manure that is produced from these massive facilities contributes to the greenhouse gas emission problems facing the country.

Now, not only do these facilities continue to contribute to the growing problem of carbon emissions, but they will not longer be held accountable by the federal government for how much they contribute.

"Large confinement livestock operations can be significant sources of pollution affecting hundreds of communities all over the country. They emit toxic chemicals such as phosphorus, ammonia and hydrogen sulfide that can harm human health and cause hazardous air and water pollution. The reporting requirements of CERCLA and EPCRA provided the small but vital amount of information communities could access about the pollutants they were exposed to.

"This last-ditch effort by a lame-duck administration to undo years of environmental protections is putting millions of Americans at risk."

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Amy Judd

at 16:44 on December 19th, 2008

I think they should still be held accountable - they are part of the problem of greenhouse gases, and although they cannot help it as such, they need to be part of the solution.

sara star

at 17:15 on December 19th, 2008

Oh crap!

Now combine that with the bottled water ban in some areas, what is one to do?

dunkelberg

at 17:36 on December 19th, 2008

I guess deregulation worked so well for the financial industry we have to have it across the board.

Paschen

at 20:02 on December 19th, 2008

Well, Dunkelberg already said it.

What is the point in even trying to save the environment and Humanity with so many Idiotic actions and Politics for money before health and good sound Planning. We may as well send out all ABC weapons at once and get it over with. Okay that was a little negative, Well, I get over it, however will the Earth get over even more pollution?

Well the Earth will certainly get over us Human's. We are just a Cancer of sorts lately.

sara star

at 20:15 on December 19th, 2008

We must not give up hope.

lefty_liberated

at 20:23 on December 20th, 2008

Well California, I think, banned factory farms on Nov. 5th.

I think we can expect environmental policies to increase under the Obama administration. However the increasing presence of troops in Afghanistan makes me worry that Obama is kind of quietly evening out the "blowback" from the previous administrations moves.