Cattlemen Sue Over EPA Rules

April 29, 2011

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the Florida Cattlemen’s Association on Thursday became the latest groups to file lawsuits challenging Environmental Protection Agency rules establishing numeric nutrient criteria for Florida’s fresh water bodies.

The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District in Tallahassee and asks the court to throw out the federal standards as arbitrary and in violation of the state’s Administrative Procedures Act.

The state’s attorney general and agriculture commissioner have also sued over the rule, as have local governments and business interests. All the plaintiffs say the federal government is overstepping in dictating standards for clean water to Florida when the state can do it itself.

The EPA says the rules will cost Florida about $35 million a year but opponents of the rules, including the Cattlemen, say they’ll cost far more – hundreds of millions a year.

Comments

3 Responses to “Cattlemen Sue Over EPA Rules”

  1. eab on May 1st, 2011 11:52 pm

    Well, once y’all are sitting in cow poo, please don’t complain.

    Anyone who thinks the state of Florida, as the legislature is currently constituted, is gonna be an advocate for clean water is, well, probably insane.

    We’ll be catching our fish out of cesspools in 4 years.

  2. southern girl on April 30th, 2011 11:40 am

    TOTALLY AGREE WITH JIM!!!

  3. Jim W on April 29th, 2011 4:52 pm

    Just another oversight group costing hard working Americans their monies. Big brother has gotten to be too big! I hope the cattlemen win this one!! Go get them enough of their regulations.