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| Home Front: Politix |
| EPA Starts Strong-Arming Infrastructure Businesses |
| 2010-08-06 |
| Seven Valley sand and gravel companies, including Fisher Sand & Gravel, which was forced to shut down its south Phoenix asphalt plant, could be barred from bidding on federal projects or face fines because of dust-related violations found at their sites. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sent violation notices to each company in July after conducting several inspections at sand and gravel plants and has offered to talk about the violations before determining penalties. State and county officials are battling with federal regulators who have threatened to withhold federal highway funds to force compliance with the Clean Air Act. C. William Nichols, president of Kilauea Crushers, said his company tries to comply with the various regulations and curb problems with dust. He added, though, that he feels some of the rules are excessive, especially in a period of low construction when mills are sometimes dormant. "We will have meetings with them and we get everything worked out," he said. "We do the best we can." "We take these violations very seriously," said Steve Trussell, executive director of the Arizona Rock Products Association trade group. "We'd only be hurting ourselves if we were to jeopardize that highway federal money." Trussell said he has been meeting with company representatives to discuss enforcement and compliance issues. He said the industry group worked closely with the county for at least eight years on the "interpretation" of Rule 316, and now it will need to start such talks with the EPA. Crap like this is why States are in near revolt against the feds. Just a decade ago, the EPA considered requiring AZ to "water down the desert" to reduce dust. Fortunately one of them had actually been out West and knew that this would be impractical. Though it took him a while to persuade his peers. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose |
| #4 Farmers, being rugged and self sufficient are and Republican are targets of the same "dust" storm from the Obama EPA for political reasons. The Gangster government is our enemy. |
| Posted by: Hupoting Fillmore9546 2010-08-06 13:11 |
| #3 If I were king, I'd regulate stupidity. |
| Posted by: gorb 2010-08-06 12:37 |
| #2 Abuse of Power(c) will be one of the first criteria to do away with a department when the Big Crunch(tm) hits the national government. No lateral civil service transfers allowed. When you hang your hat in one department, you hang with it. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2010-08-06 09:58 |
| #1 Sounds like the Fed is continuing its assault on Arizona. Some brown nosing EPA official must be looking for a promotion. I have always likened the dust particle regulations to trying to regulate the fog in San Fran. |
| Posted by: 49 Pan in UAE 2010-08-06 09:37 |