Op-Eds

There seems to be a huge disconnect between rural, hard-working Kentuckians and the bureaucrats at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA.)

Citing the Clean Air Act, EPA has indicated its interest in imposing federal regulations on the dust that follows trucks and tractors driving on unpaved roads or operating in fields. Regulating farm dust would be a gross overreach by the EPA.

As a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, I am committed to supporting legislation that reins in the bureaucrats at the EPA as they try to push these new, burdensome regulations while hiding the staggering costs and job losses that would result.

The Energy and Commerce Committee approved H.R. 1633, the Farm Dust Regulation Prevention Act, with my support on November 29, 2011. This committee action paved the way for H.R. 1633 to be considered by the whole House just eight days later, passing with a bipartisan majority.

The Farm Dust Regulation Prevention Act, which now awaits Senate action, would stop the EPA from imposing needless and onerous regulations that threaten American farmers, ranchers and small business job creators.

Responsible regulations are important to ensuring public health and a clean environment. However, this administration has not considered the staggering costs and potential job loss as they have run wild with new regulations.

I look forward to continuing to support this and other bills that will restore regulatory certainty to America’s economy. By removing the layers of burdensome, redundant and unnecessary regulation that government has heaped on American businesses, we can re-energize job creation and prosperity in America.