Legal Hurdles May Stymie Early Epa Bid For Multimedia Farm Permits

摘要

EPA is eying the agriculture industry as a possible testing ground for advancing its long-dormant efforts to develop sector-based multimedia permits despite continuing concerns that its current media-based legal framework likely prevents the agency from easily adopting such an approach. An EPA source who backs the idea says the sector lends itself to combined consideration of water, waste and air issues, adding that the industry is urging the agency to address its environmental requirements holistically so that farmers don't have to learn to comply with a new regulation every few years. But EPA's multimedia effort is still in an initial study phase and ongoing efforts by environmentalists and others to strictly regulate some agricultural releases, such as runoff from animal feedlots, suggest the multimedia approach may still be years away. Nevertheless, EPA continues to consider the issue. The agency plans to award in March 2009 grants to states for advancing innovative ideas, including multimedia permits in the agriculture sector.