EPA drops regulation of factory farm air pollution
The gist
The EPA will not develop emissions estimates under a 2005 agreement covering thousands of large livestock farms.
Farm groups welcomed the move; environmental advocates say Clean Air Act accountability is gone.
How it unfolded
- 2005The EPA adopted the Animal Feeding Operations Consent Agreement and Final Order (2005 Air Compliance Agreement), granting thousands of CAFOs safe harbor from legal action in exchange for participation in an industry-funded study.
- 2005 -2007On-farm research for the National Air Emissions Monitoring Study was conducted.
- 2017An EPA Office of Inspector General report faulted the agency for slow-walking the process of producing emissions estimating methodologies.