American Farm Bureau’s Don Parrish sees an early move by Maryland’s new GOP Governor Larry Hogan (pictured) to put the brakes on expanded farm pollution rules as a message to other states and the EPA.
“I think what it signals to other political entities around the country, whether it’s the upper Mississippi or anywhere else, that while EPA may set a very lofty environmental goal, there’s a realization I think from this governor that there are economic consequences and economic costs associated with those environmental goals and objectives.”
Parrish says Hogan understands there’s a balance needed – not just environmental goals – no matter the cost.
“Because if we go down that path, jobs and the cost associated with kind of living our daily lives go out the window, and I think this governor is taking a look at that. and I think that should be a message that should resonate across the country.”
Parrish says Congress gave the states the traditional role of deciding land use and water use issues. From that standpoint – prior to this time-out – he says EPA was running rough-shod over the states in the Chesapeake Bay.
Meantime – Parrish says Farm Bureau is in a holding pattern – awaiting a federal court ruling in a 2011 Farm Bureau challenge to EPA’s proposal to require permits in the Bay region based on daily discharges. EPA has repeatedly said it views the Chesapeake proposal as a regulatory model in other major watersheds – and earlier bid a contract for modeling runoff on the Mississippi River Basin.