The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to exclude agriculture from new air quality standards governing coarse dust particles. The Agency is revising national air quality standards for both coarse and fine dust particles, and the American Farm Bureau Federation is strongly encouraging adoption of the ag exclusion.

Submitting comments on the proposed rule, AFBF cited the lack of scientific justification for the standards, calling the regulations overly burdensome for farmers and ranchers. In the comments, AFBF also noted that the final EPA rule must be written well enough to stand potential legal challenges once implemented. Also included in EPA’s proposal are mining and windblown dust particles, which EPA contentds have no need to control in terms of human health benefit.

EPA will issue final standards and regulations on particulate matter emissions by September 27th.