This is the face of madness

1. Here’s the part of Noem’s bill that’s hidden behind the smokescreen: not only is she fighting non-existent regulations, but she would gut some existing regulations. Her bill includes a provision to exempt rural industries from the Clean Air Act standards on particulate matter. That would mean that gravel pits like the Pete Lien operation in Rapid City (also a campaign donor to Noem) could kick up more dust than they do now. Noem’s not just blocking imaginary regulations; Noem’s taking apart real one’s that protect South Dakotans’ health and overall quality of life, all for the sake of her image and her donors.

2. Asthma? What’s that? Never heard of it.

3. The Argus should step up their game and do some actual research. This bill has been written about for some time and everyone says it is a not true just a fairy dust story for Noem. It is a shame that she and her cohorts don’t pass some actual bills, like a jobs bill to begin with. With any luck she and her fairy dust will be one term.

4. The Argus and RC Journal are too scared of their shadows and of survival to allow them to be real newspapers.

5. You can take the girl off the farm, but you will never take the farm out of the girl. She is in DC for two things, #1 Kristi Noem and #2 Farmers. I have family and friends that farm and everyone of them says the same thing, no more welfare….except for farm payments. Get rid of Obama…but if farmers look back, most of their good years came with democrat presidents. Kennedy, Carter, Clinton, and they all have to agree, they never had it as good as they do this year with Obama as president. I just do not understand it. Everyone in South Dakota votes for the fat cats and the fat cats give give a shit less if South Dakota disappeared. Amazing!

6. Goofy? Huh?

7. Ignorance isn’t bliss guys! Grow up and stop drinking the Kool-Aid and think for yourselfs and check things out.

   EPA start looking at creating regulations back in 2006
   http://www.beef.org/uDocs/dustregulations.pdf This is from there own website. http://epa.gov/region9/air/phoenixpm/fuss.html how about this from June 2010 http://www.news9.com/Global/story.asp?S=12899662 or how about this from Aug 2010 http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/08/19/us-epa-dust-regulation-idUSTRE67I5T120100819

   Obama’s EPA Moves to Regulate Dust
   Monday, 23 May 2011 08:53 PM

   By Henry J. Reske

   If the Environmental Protection Agency has its way, that cloud of dust kicked up by the Lone Ranger’s faithful steed Silver probably would merit the famed lawman a stiff fine.The EPA is in the process of toughening up its regulations on Course Particulate Matter, otherwise known as dust. The dust in question is commonly stirred up by cars and trucks traveling on unpaved roads in rural areas and farmers working the fields.

   The EPA is plowing ahead with the regulations despite concerns from members of Congress and farmers that tougher standards on dust will harm farmers and ranchers and lead to higher food costs and job losses in rural America.

   Rep. Robert Hurt, R-Va., has co-authored the bipartisan Farm Dust Regulation Prevention Act of 2011 with Rep. Kristi Noem, R-S.D., along with co-sponsors Reps. Leonard Boswell, D-Iowa, and Larry Kissell, D-N.C. The bill would prohibit the EPA “from burdening farmers and small business owners in rural America with additional dust regulations.”

   “This bill is another step in our continued efforts to help spur job creation throughout Virginia’s 5th District,” Hurt said. “By putting an end to the EPA’s unnecessary dust regulations, our farmers and small businesses in rural areas across central and southside Virginia will gain the certainty and confidence necessary to focus on expanding their business and putting people back to work.”

   The bill, which has received the endorsement of the American Farm Bureau, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, and the Public Lands Council, would, among other things, prevent revision of the dust standard for one year and give states and localities flexibility to regulate dust.

   “Regulation of farm dust by the EPA could severely hamper the ability of farmers in Virginia and across the nation, and has the potentially devastating effect of decreased productivity, increased food prices and lost jobs in the rural economy,” said the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation’s Wilmer Stoneman. “In addition, there is no scientific basis for establishing such a regulation and we doubt that the benefits would outweigh the costs.”

   The EPA’s review of dust is part of a five-year review of the Clean Air Act’s National Ambient Air Quality Standard for Particulate Matter. One form of regulated material is known as coarse PM, which is dust made up primarily of ground up dirt and other naturally occurring organic materials.

   In rural areas, dust is as naturally occurring as dirt. Driving down unpaved roads creates dust, as do such essential activities as plowing, planting, and harvesting.

   In addition to the legislation, members of Congress have written to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson to express their concerns. The March letter, which more than 100 members of Congress signed, notes that, if “implemented, the proposed standards could subject farmers, livestock producers, and industry to burdensome regulations which could result in fines amounting to $37,500 a day for violations.”

   The levels of allowable dust being considered are below naturally occurring levels in some states, “making it impossible to meet” and doubling the number of counties in violation, the letter says.

   “There are no better stewards of the land than America’s agriculture community,” the members of Congress noted. “Given the difficulty and expensive process of mitigating dust in most settings, the revised standards could have a devastating impact on rural economies and greatly reduce our nation’s food security. If, as the agency has determined, rural fugitive dust has been found to be of less public health concern than dust in urban areas, there is no reason to adopt the revised standard.”

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