Make a call to oppose the dairy industry!

[Guest guest]

Had a question so just wanted to clarify, the information below is

from the Dairy Industry -- they asked their members to vote " no " on

the bill... We need to get our voices to our legislators asking for

a " YES " on the bill!

 

So, do the opposite of what the dairy farmers are asking --- Contact

your Assemblymember and ask for a YES vote on SB 700 and SB 707.

 

To find the names of your State Assembly Member and State Senator,

call (916)319-2856, (916)445-4251, or your County Registrar of Voter

or look in front of your local phone book under California Assembly

and California Senate. You can also visit

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html.

 

==================================================

NOTE: BELOW Comments are from the dairy industry!

==================================================

 

Western United Dairymen Weekly News Update

Aug. 29, 2003 http://www.westernuniteddairymen.com/article.php?

sid=319

 

 

FLOREZ AIR BILLS MOVE TO ASSEMBLY FLOOR

After failing to move out of committee last week, SB 700, authored

by Sen. Dean Florez (D-Shafter), was brought back for

reconsideration. SB 700 was the subject of long marathon meetings

this week between supporters and opponents in an effort to reach a

compromise between the senator and groups representing Central

Valley agriculture. By noon Friday, SB 700 and another Florez bill

SB 707, passed thanks to four last-minute appointments by the

speaker.

 

SB 700 would rescind agriculture's exemption from reporting

requirements of the federal 1972 Clean Air Act as amended in 1990.

That portion of SB 700 is not in dispute by agricultural interests:

without rescinding the exemption for agriculture, the state faces

the threat of the loss of federal highway funds by the end of the

year. Sanctions could also affect new commercial construction in the

state, forcing businesses to establish offsets for additional

pollutants that regulators estimate will be generated by the

project. The threat of federal sanctions has been triggered by court

action declaring the state's agricultural exemption to be illegal.

The Florez bill, however, goes far beyond the federal requirements

by including an environmental shopping list of additional

requirements. As passed today, the bill would regulate every

agricultural operation, activity, confined animal facility, and

certain internal combustion engines on farms and ranches statewide.

Every place an animal is confined for feeding purposes would be

defined as an agricultural stationary source of air pollution no

matter what level of air emissions can be attributed to the

operation.

 

Instead of allowing local air districts to make decisions that are

appropriate for their region, the bill would set statewide mandates.

Without the support of sound science - - or even any science - - and

without the support of EPA, SB 700 will require California

agriculture to employ measures to control PM-2.5 emissions. Should

SB 700 pass, every dairy of any size will be required to inventory,

record, and report the emissions of all pollutants produced from

their operations.

 

After many long hours of good-faith negotiations, agricultural

groups were, in the end, unable to move SB 700 away from its

original language. " All we have asked for is that California

agriculture be subject to the same regulations as other similar

areas in the nation, " said Paul Martin, WUD environmental services

coordinator.

 

SB 707, the second Florez bill to pass out of the Assembly

Appropriations Committee on Friday, sets limits on urban and

agricultural growth by creating a 3-mile buffer around each dairy in

the state. Dairies would be unable to build or modify facilities

within the buffer zone around cities, towns, census areas with more

than 5,000 inhabitants, or schools. It is uncertain whether these

urban structures, including schools, would be allowed to be

constructed within three miles of an existing dairy. A long list of

county boards of supervisors have voiced their strong opposition to

this effort to move the responsibility for county planning decisions

to the circus of state legislative " debate " .

 

" Florez and his comrades have driven a stake through the heart of

the agricultural economy that is the basis for what should be

California's strong, healthy international economy, the envy of the

nation and the world, " said Michael Marsh, CEO of Western United

Dairymen. " Florez has dismissed the entire scientific community that

has been at work to develop real improvements in air quality in our

state, " he added.

 

A broad coalition of agricultural groups, including Western United

Dairymen and Milk Producers Council, has been working to develop a

reasonable compromise that would meet the requirements of the clean

air act without destroying California's agricultural economy.

 

According to Gary Conover, WUD's director of government

relations, " We had a strong show of support from farm families in

the Capitol today. Their efforts are appreciated, and while we lost

this round, the work of everyone who has had a part in defending the

viability of California agriculture has opened the eyes of many

urban legislators. We can't give up3/4eventually they will get it. "

Conover has been working tirelessly to fix both bills since last

spring.

 

The two bills face a vote of the full State Assembly, perhaps as

early as Thursday, September 4. Every dairy producer in California,

not just members of Western United Dairymen and Milk Producers

Council, needs to become involved in the effort to kill these bills

in the Assembly. Contact you Assemblymember and ask for a NO vote on

SB 700 and SB 707. Contact Western United Dairymen at (209) 527-6453

or (800) 523-4868 if you need help to find contact information for

your representative in the Assembly.

--- End forwarded message ---