Herman Cain loves “farm dust!” Perhaps it reminds him of his childhood growing up in Memphis? Who knows! But he’s absolutely, 100% against regulating it. He’d like you to know that. Enough so that he made this ad.
The only problem is, it’s a lie. The whole thing. A complete fabrication from top to bottom. There is no new law. It’s a invention of FoxNews. Here’s what Regina McCarthy the Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said in her sworn testimony to the Subcommittee on Energy and Power Committee on Energy and Commerce of the U.S. House of Representatives:
As you know, EPA Administrator Jackson committed in an October 14, 2011 letter that EPA is prepared to propose to keep the PM10 national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) as it is, with no change. This existing standard has been in effect since 1987. I am hopeful that this announcement ends the myth that the Agency has plans to tighten regulation of “farm dust.”
In effect since 1987. Thats 24 years. NAAQS is a rule that was initiated, researched, designed, written and enacted during the Presidency of Ronald Reagan. And lest we forget, it was Richard Nixon who created the dreaded EPA and implemented the Clean Air Act under which the NAAQS was implemented. But for the GOP, history happens to other people, apparently.
Let’s return to the “farm dust” question. You might ask yourself why would you want to regulate “farm dust” (or any other inorganic particulate matter)? Let’s just put it this way. There’s a very good reason they make these.
They keep particulate matter from entering your lungs. This is a good thing. If you’ve ever had to hang sheet-rock or do any sandblasting or other construction activity which generates airborne particulate matter without one of these babies, you’ll know what I’m talking about.
The specific answer to regulating “farm dust” lies in research conducted at the EPA and released in 2009. This study, Pneumoconiosis from Agricultural Dust Exposure among Young California Farmworkers, identified “farm dust” as an environmental hazard meriting some form of regulatory intervention. The study found
Mineral dust exposure [from agricultural work] is associated with increased small airway disease and pneumoconiosis among California farmworkers
The agency determined that the existing regulations from 1987 were sufficient at this time and that no new regulations were needed. That doesn’t mean that the research is complete, but nor does it mean that more research shouldn’t be done to protect farm workers, many of whom are poor and suffer from a host of exploitative tactics by farm owners.
Seriously, if you’re willing to lie about farm dust, what else will you lie about?
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