[Vision2020] Craig rider to exempt ag air pollution

[Mark Solomon]

Visionaries:

While we don't yet have any mega-dairies in Latah County, Senator 
Craig's rider to exempt air pollution caused by agricultural 
production from the Community Right To Know law is chilling to say 
the least. We do have air pollution resulting from field burning, as 
yet unreported under Right To Know (but should be in my opinion). If 
you feel like I do that the public has an inherent right to know how 
our "commons" - in this case the very air we breathe - is being 
used/abused by polluters, read on. Rather than clutter mailboxes, 
please contact me at msolomon at moscow.com and I will forward you the 
referenced attachments. As Craig has seen fit to legislate this as a 
rider on the EPA appropriation bill, it will move quickly and under 
the cover of committee darkness. Contact info for Senator Craig 
included in message below.

Mark Solomon
*********
From: Lauren  McLean <lmclean at wildidaho.org>
Date: Tue, 14 Sep 2004 13:42:27 -0600
To: CAFO Canyon <lmclean at wildidaho.org>, CAFO Elmore
<lmclean at wildidaho.org>, CAFO Magic Valley <lmclean at wildidaho.org>, Parma
CAFO <lmclean at wildidaho.org>, Lauren  McLean <LMcLean at wildidaho.org>
Subject: Sen. Craig Superfund Amendment on CAFOs


As you know, the Idaho Conservation League filed in federal court a lawsuit
against the Desert Rose dairy for failure to comply with the Community Right
to Know Act and the Superfund law.  Both laws require polluters to report
how much of certain toxic pollutants they are pumping into the air.  Until
our lawsuit, mega-dairies refused to comply with the law.  The Desert Rose
Dairy became the first mega-dairy in the nation to report under these laws.

Reportedly, Sen. Craig plans to introduce amendments to the laws that
require polluter to report their pollution.  People expect that this could
be introduced as a rider to the EPA budget tomorrow.

Attached you'll find three documents that were sent to me this morning.
These documents include amendments to the Community Right to Know Act and
the Superfund Act and a memo asserting that mega-dairies and other CAFOs
deserve special treatment when it comes to telling the truth about
pollution.

Contact Sen. Craig and tell him that you are opposed to amending laws that
protect your rights to know what is in the air you breathe.  These
amendments are nothing less than special treatment for polluters and a broad
attempt to undermine your right to know what is in the air you breathe!

Email Sen. Craig's office by going to http://www.senate.gov/~craig/ and
clicking the "Email" button on the right to send Sen. Craig a message.

Or call his office at 202-224-2752 to let them know you want this amendment
stopped.

Thanks,
Lauren McLean
-- 
Lauren McLean
Community Conservation Associate
Idaho Conservation League
POBox 844 Boise, ID 83701
208.345.6942 x 17
http://www.wildidaho.org

Idaho Conservation League preserves Idaho's clean water, wilderness, and
quality of life.