Posted on 06/15/2010 1:38:49 PM PDT by ironwill
GRAND RAPIDS -- Having watched the oil gushing in the Gulf of Mexico, dairy farmer Frank Konkel has a hard time seeing how spilled milk can be labeled the same kind of environmental hazard.
But the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is classifying milk as oil because it contains a percentage of animal fat, which is a non-petroleum oil.
The Hesperia farmer and others would be required to develop and implement spill prevention plans for milk storage tanks. The rules are set to take effect in November, though that date might be pushed back.
"That could get expensive quickly," Konkel said. "We have a serious problem in the Gulf. Milk is a wholesome product that does not equate to spilling oil."
But last week environmentalists disagreed at a Senate committee hearing on a resolution from Sen. Wayne Kuipers, R-Holland, calling for the EPA to rescind its ruling.
"The federal Clean Water Act requirements were meant to protect the environment from petroleum-based oils, not milk," he said. "I think it is an example of federal government gone amuck."
But Gayle Miller, legislative director of Sierra Club Michigan Chapter, said agricultural pollution probably is the nation's most severe chronic problem when it comes to water pollution.
"Milk is wholesome in a child's body. It is devastating in a waterway," Miller said. "The fact that it's biodegradable is irrelevant if people die as a result of cryptosporidium, beaches close for E. coli and fish are killed."
Miller said "big agriculture" is constantly trying to be exempted from environmental regulations at the state and federal level. She was disappointed to learn the EPA told The Press it "expects shortly to issue a notice to extend the date for milk storage tanks to comply with SPCC (Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure) regulations."
Also, the International Dairy Foods Association said it has learned the EPA will exempt the industry from the rule.
But state lawmakers say they won't let up until that is official.
Konkel, who also spoke at the Senate hearing, co-owns Silver Sky Dairy, with his wife, Shari, and a brother-in-law and his wife. They have 300 milking cows on about 800 acres and a 5,000-gallon tank that keeps their milk cool.
The regulations apply to farms that store more than 1,320 gallons in above-ground containers or more than 42,000 gallons in buried containers.
In May, U.S. Rep. Candice Miller, R-Mount Clemens, introduced legislation, co-sponsored by Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Holland, that prohibits enforcement of the EPA's regulations on dairy and dairy product producers, processors, handlers and distributors.
"This is an example of where we have overreach by the department that defies common sense," said Matt Smego, legislative counsel for Michigan Farm Bureau.
Smego said its an unnecessary regulatory burden that creates additional costs. He said it could cost $2,500 for a certified engineer to safeguard milk, plus more to construct secondary containment structures.
Michigan has 2,299 dairy farms. According to the Michigan Department of Agriculture, dairy is the leading segment of Michigan's agricultural industry, providing a $5.1 billion impact on the state's economy.
This month the International Dairy Foods Association said it has learned the EPA will exempt the industry from the rule.
But state lawmakers say they won't let up until that is official.
In the meantime, Konkel and other dairy farmers are in limbo.
"The federal government has gotten out touch what's going on in rural America," said Konkel. "This is our livelihood."
These people are insane!
What a joke the EPA is. Total waste of resources. I would be ashamed to work there.
The pathetic thing is the idiot voters who buy into this being a legitimate environmental concern.
Hope they realize their organic dairies will be the first to die.
This isn’t a joke?????
I see they are still batting zero.
White is black and black is white.
I’m going to go to the piggly wiggly and get 100 gallons of milk to stockpile in my basement before the price runup occurs. Obammy has done it again!
Here’s a remedy then. /s
“New Fatwa Calls on Men to Drink Women’s Breast Milk”
Raymond Ibrahim
6/4/2010
http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/new-fatwa-calls-on-men-to-drink-women%e2%80%99s-breast-milk/
Carbon dioxide is a toxin. Milk is an oil.
Totalitarian lies just to grab more power.
Government-as-farce PING!
Too bad, I mean, I’ll cut a tree down anyday, but I’s loves the organic milk, unpastore’eyezd & un’homo’eyezed is the best, don’t you think?
Not insane. EVIL.
They seek to control the food supply in order to reduce the population.
Woe!
Gov’t is WAY the flock out of control!
We need a plan from gov’t on how to clean up when they’ve spilled over their boundaries.
I don’t have any problem with people who want organic milk but its about to get a whole lot more scarce.
Get them nice and shiny. The time is getting nearer...
Sooner or later we will have to deal with the leftists in the EPA. The next President will have his hands full I think and we will need to support him. This country is in for trouble.
As we all know Shiva devotees regularly get together and spill milk over a device called a linga.
Obviously Moslems with a grudge against Hindus in Michigan have gotten to state legislators to come up with this idea.
It's just more religious disagreement being turned into state law and it should be stopped.
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