Posted on 09/26/2007 8:06:55 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
A Kern County dairy violated the federal Clean Air Act when it built a new plant before obtaining an air permit and complying with the latest air pollution requirements, a federal judge ruled Tuesday.
The Center on Race, Poverty & the Environment sued C&R Vanderham Dairy nearly two years ago in U.S. District Court in Fresno, claiming the dairy needed to apply for an air permit before beginning construction.
The plaintiffs argued that volatile organic compounds in decomposing dairy manure, livestock feed, and cows' digestive systems contributed to the region's polluted air. The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District had said the Vanderham dairy did not need an air permit because it would only house 1,320 milk cows.
The dairy finally obtained an air permit in April.
Judge Oliver Wanger's ruling said federal policy required the dairy to get a district permit before starting construction, to install the best available pollution control technology and to buy emission reduction credits to offset excess pollution.
A March court date was set to determine what fines the dairy will need to pay and whether it must stop work until it shows compliance, said attorney Avinash Kar, who argued the case on behalf of the Association of Irritated Residents, a Shafter-based group.
"It's about time the district started requiring dairies to clean up their act," Kar said.
On second thought I think Johnny Knoxville already invented the fart-toaster
Bool chit!!! When they tried enforcing "the fart tax" on New Zealand sheep ranchers, they mobbed the national crapitol chanting:
"WE WON'T PAY YOUR FART TAX... NO (BLEEPING) WAY!!!"
This business of GovernMental EnvironMentalism is such a NASTY BUSINESS!!!
California is getting to the point, that, a permit will be required to breathe out.
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