USDA TASK FORCE PRESSES EPA TO ACT ON CROP-BURNING, FARM RULES

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) agricultural air quality task force is putting pressure on EPA to respond, after years of delay, to several contentious policy recommendations -- including a proposal to exempt agricultural burning from particular matter limits and one that exempts agricultural operations from regulatory mandates, promoting voluntary measures instead. A task force member who recently spoke with high-ranking EPA officials says the agency has promised to move forward soon. If EPA agrees to the recommendation on crop...