The National Milk Producers Federation today commended the Environmental Protection Agency for issuing a final rule to codify its earlier interpretation that air emissions from manure are not reportable under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act. The action successfully concludes a two-year battle in which NMPF was involved at every step.
“We are pleased with the outcome of EPA’s painstaking efforts,” said Jim Mulhern, NMPF president and CEO. “This final rule codifies what’s been the right thing to do all along.”
NMPF has been engaged with this effort since April 2017, filing comments as recently as last December supporting EPA’s efforts last fall to modify its regulations to eliminate the reporting of ammonia or hydrogen sulfide air emissions from manure. EPA concluded in Oct. 2017 that air emissions from manure did not need to be reported under EPCRA while signaling it would explain its thinking on the issue through rulemaking. EPA’s assessment largely was based on the conclusion that the air emissions were a result of “routine agricultural operations” exempt from EPCRA reporting.
EPA’s final actions with EPCRA is consistent with Congress’ recent action to exempt manure emissions reporting requirements under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). NMPF supported that approach and noted that EPCRA’s legislative history showed that Congress did not intend for continuous air emissions reports to be filed under EPCRA if they were not required under CERCLA. NMPF has noted in its support for EPA that the emergency response community has said it doesn’t need these reports and that they impede their emergency response function.
NMPF anticipates the rule will be challenged in court.
The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), based in Arlington, VA, develops and carries out policies that advance dairy producers and the cooperatives they own. NMPF’s member cooperatives produce the majority of U.S. milk, making NMPF the voice of dairy producers on Capitol Hill and with government agencies. For more, visit www.nmpf.org.
