Transcripts For CSPAN2 Environmental Regulations Impact On F

Good morning, i call this hearing to order. We will hold a hearing on the impact of federal environmental regulations and policies on American Farming and ranching communities. The discussion here today is not about the value of environmental regulations but about how some federal regulations can be inflexible, antiquated, duplicative and ultimately harmful to american agriculture, a critical part of our nations economy. Members of this committee should work to ensure environmental laws are strong and effective without being overly burdensome. This is often a difficult task. The United States is blessed that our ecosystems require different kinds of stewardship to remain healthy. In wyoming we have an abundance of prosperity and in forest, a variety of mountain habitats. Wyoming ranchers and farmers are familiar with the ecosystem and its need. This is where they work, live and invest their energy. Farmers and ranchers are the original stewards and understand landscapes and watersheds need to be healthy for plants, wildlife, crops and wild stock. The living proof, interacting with nature can be done in an environmentally sound way, leaving the resources in better condition and where we found them. Washington policies do not always translate well in Rural America. In wyoming i often hear how out of touchenvironmental regulations have become. For far too long but people feed, clothe and house our nation have been burdened by policies that failed to reflect the on the ground realities. We can look no further than the Obama Administrations failed waters of the United States rule. Under that rule, farmers and ranchers across the country were told that irrigation ditches, ponds and puddles were quote, navigable waters. To be regulated by the federal government. Im happy to say that last week the delay in implementation of the rule became final. And in the epa and army corps of engineers time to make sure that any new rule protect americas Water Resources while not unnecessarily burdening farmers and ranchers and Small Businesses and communities across america. When writing legislation, Congress Must take care to ensure policy achieves the desired objective area agencies must do the same when developing regulations. I believe that we should prioritize updating and revising policies that while wellintentioned, were not designed to micromanage agriculture. One example is the new animal waste emission reporting requirements. Over the past several months farmers and ranchers struggled to comply with ambiguities and an ambiguous Agency Directive following an esapril 2017 decision in the Dc Circuit Court. That decision fundamentally changed reporting requirements under the comprehensive Environmental Response compensation and Liability Act and the Emergency Planning and community right to know act. Rightfully known as circle. The ruling meant up to 100,000 farmers and ranchers who had never been required to report the loss works only required to comply. Even though they wanted to comply with the ruling, the process and implications of compliance were unclear. Because both circle andthroat were not written with the intent of regulating these farms and ranches. And the environment recorded emissions from animal waste came without context and largely without any agency guidance. Let me now turn to the National Environmental policy act. We cannot discuss environmental regulations and their impact on agriculture operations without mentioning people. It is at the core of every decision in each landuse plan, Resource Management proposal, trailing and crossing permit and allotment that farmers and ranchers need. But is not limited to agriculture. For years we have discussed the effect it has had on delaying the rconstruction of roads, bridges, parks, reservoirs and other critical infrastructure. Environmental analysis can be important in many cases, competing neighbor takes far too long. As neva delays, improvements around the farm or ranch areas, ecosystems needs change and farmers, ranchers and their families wait for an answer. We will hear from todays witnesses. These are families whose lives and livelihoods, hopes and dreams are inseparable from the land in the waters they work so hard to complete. These are not the only examples of punishing regulations that farmers and ranchers and communities still face. Also hear about the duplicative requirements in the application of pesticide already covered under the federal insecticide, fungicide or pick from. Issues of privacy in the collection of data on farmers and ranchers and how the endangered species act had been implemented in the subsequent negative impact on farming and ranching operations. These and other examples will be mediscussed but we as a committee can better understand how we can help these hardworking communities across our country. Before we move on to our witnesses i like to turn to the Ranking Member, senator parted. Thank you and for bringing us all together today and a special thanks to our witnesses. I feel privileged to be able to introduce michael, secretary of agriculture for a second tour. And in a moment, let me first give a brief statement and introduce michael. No other sector of our nations economy is successful or r closely tied to the quality of in our environment as agriculture. Farmers are our nations original conservationists. We understand better than anyone else the need for clean water and highquality soil that we need not just to feed ourselves but to feed the world. Over 40 percent of our land is dedicated to funding. And our state are employees some 30,000. Nearly 1 billion a year to our state economy. Pressing the first dayfarmers on the first in the nation for value of product produced. In the number of onlima beans harvested, first in the, and i think in Sussex County which is the Third Largest county, first in collection of broilers by county. We do all this while practicing exceptional Environmental Stewardship and our Farming Community is working closely in partnership with usda, state agencies and cities. Carnations environmental laws have been helping us liver clean air and water. And our farmers and ranchers. I should add that our list to that list are fishing communities, because their success is also greatly dependent on a healthy environment and vital ecosystems. For example, epa has found that in 2005, the Clean Air Act rules that were from ground small can also protect our crops. And animals, to the tune of 14 billion in estimated cost by 2020. Clean air act also protects crops from damaging ultraviolet radiation by protecting ozone layer and admitting the use of ozonedepleting pheromones. It turns out that those Clean Air Act protections will prevent an estimated 7 and a half percent drop in future crop yields in 20 25. There are other Environmental Issues where we need to act and do more to help our farmers. For example, Climate Change is already disrupting the likelihood of farmers and ranchers. Federal Governments International Climate Assessment found that and i quote, climate disruption of Agricultural Production , of increased in about 20 years and are projected to increase in the next 25 years and the mid century and beyond these impacts will be e increasing on every one of the crops and livestock. The science special report released in november 2017 confirmed these trends. I look forward to hearing your testimony of our nwitnesses. Other Environmental Programs have created new Income Opportunities for farmers. The fuel has been an economic driver in communities across our country. s of thousands of farmers across our country are enrolled in usdas Conservation Program and farmers for the Water Quality and Habitat Conservation services they provide and protect. I acknowledge though that sometimes rvenvironmental requirements can be complex and referred to us this already. Those requirements can be confusing to those who perform. One hosuch example is the emission requirements for farmers. The comprehensive Environmental Response compensation and Liability Act. And the environmental, Emergency Planning and the committee right to know known as apc ra. In 2008, the Bush Administration promulgated a rule that exempted all the largest forms from her promoting. Ein 2017 the Dc Circuit Court overturned the 2008 rule, putting farmers on notice that they would soon need to be reporting. Unfortunately, these reporting guidance were supporting has been confusing and unhelpful. Along with a number of other colleagues in this room and outside his room, ive been pushing epa for several months to do better. Epa has had more work to do and are urging we need to request more time from the court to continue having workable guidance and giving Congress Time to act on their decision. Last week as we know gave the epa till the 21st to get this right. More than 2008 rule, on committee to work for a solution that balances the pollutant of this reporting on requirements , with the needs of Emergency Response officials. It is the right of local committee, this is what the administration sought to do in 2008 and it is how i believe we should proceed. Just a quick word of introduction on excuses, joining us today. I have attempted to read if i may be incredible, i will do that but it is anincredible record of service and achievement. The skus family is highly regarded in our state. We have three counties, most of our stages north, those family farm forever. And its enjoyed great success. Its really been a role model for a lot of folks informing and outside. And i mentioned in my statement that farmers were our First Official conservationists. These families are a great example of that. In addition to serving for what hes done with his own family business, hes served as our secretary of agriculture not once but the years, almost 8 years under the governor and served as chief of staff for a period of time and in the Current Administration. Again, our secretary of agriculture and were excited that he is. In addition hes at the Obama Administration to come down here and serve in washington in a number of Senior Leadership positions including undersecretary and department of agriculture. Acting secretary of agriculture for our country which is just extraordinary. Hes a good friend and im just honored that youre here today with us, michael and we salute you for all the work you continue to do, thank you for joining us. Before we had to the panel we have a number of introductions. After ernst and moran have introductions. Thank you mister chair and today i have a great honor of introducing a fellow iowan, doctor howard hill, a hard farmer from cambridge who served as president of the National Pork Producers Council and is a veterinarian with iowa select farms. Previously doctor hill was director of Veterinary Services and multiplication for families in roseville North Carolina and was in microbiology in the iowa state universitys laboratory. Doctor hill served as president of an tbc for the 2014 2015 term and prior to that was a member of the nt pc board of directors serving on a number of committees and cochairing the environmental policy committee. He also served on the board of directors of the iowa pork producers he was the chairman of the Research Committee and the contract growers committee. Doctor hill owns a farm which produces breeding stocks or dan usa. He also partners with his son on the family farm where they had a purebred angus for and 2500 acres of grow crops. Thank you for being here today doctor hill, we look forward to hearing your testimony. Senator moran. Thank you to the Ranking Member for having our hearing and its an honor for me to introduce the committee. Kansas farmer from wheaton kansas in the North Central part of our state. Don has been actively engaged in the National Farmers union for a very long time. These a leader in agriculture and Rural America and i hold don in high regard for his love and passion for small towns across our state. He recognizes fully as most of us do that if Rural America is going to have a future, its because farmers and ranchers are having success and i appreciate him and especially on the conservation issue, he has a great love for the land and o understand how importantclear skies and good soil and clean water is across our state so don, i welcome you to the committee and thank you for your testimony. Thank you, we also had joining the panel mister zippy duvall who is the president of the farm Bureau Administration but first we will hear from mister nell hansen who joins us from rawlins wyoming. He is the past president of my wyoming Stock Growers Association who served as secretary and treasurer for the public lands council. The thirdgeneration rancher, nell knows that raising g cattle, sheep and horses is full of challenges. Nels has worked with the university of wyoming and bureau of Land Management to develop Rangeland Monitoring which has allowed nels to become familiar with both the deeds of his livestock and the needs of our rangeland ecosystem. Successful evstewardship is evident in the longevity and success of his family ranch which has also been recognized for many years in wyoming. The bureau of Land Management recognizes deranged management stewardship award in 2000 and in 2001, the ranch was named a Little Snake River conservation district collaborator of the year. Now has been recognized repeatedly for his leadership in the industry and in his community. He served as a member of the rollins and rescued and inducted into the agriculture hall of fame in 2011. Im pleased to have you with us to lend your experience to the committee. I ask that amyou please procee. Thank you karen and member carver, members of the committee. Thank you for having me here today for the federal regulations of how the federal regulations affect my ranch and others across the country. My name is nels hansen, my family is in the branching in our area for 120 years. Today, my son is home taking care of the ranch so i can be with you today. As stated, i am the past president of the association, past chairman of the wyoming state grazing board, member of the national almonds association, i currently serve as secretarytreasurer for National Public lands council. Our ranch covers 230,000 acres around in central wyoming. Its private and bln in checkerboard land. And we stand over three waters, and beyond branching, we take as much of the last 30 years working on these issues that we are discussing today in wyoming and in washington dc across the west. As recently as last week at the national almonds convention, i taught the class on working with other agencies and how to try cto educate people how to get along and work towards their goal. In our interactions with the federal agencies, our First Priority is also waste to identify Common Ground that we can work towards. We are constantly entitled in a web of federal regulations. Im here today to talk about just a few of those regulations impact our ranch. As long as it remains on the books, the obama era continues to be a threat to our operation. On our ranch, we wrestle with the management of three watersheds. None of them played directly into the adjacent federal waters. But under the ambiguous and overreaching 2015 rule, it was impossible to know whether we are exempt or not. As a family rancher, i should not need to hire hydrologists, engineers to figure this out. Im grateful for the administration has taken steps to rollback this rule e and replace it with something more workable. More work still needs to be done. We stand ready to help in any way we can. Another regulation i shouldnt be wrestling with an hour operations is the reporting requirements under. The simple fact is emissions from normal livestock operations should not be covered under this rule. In particular, it is absurd to require such reporting 43,000 had operation like mine spread across 60 square miles. Such an operation require a coordinated Emergency Response. Congress needs to fix this. As we all know, you cant dismiss anywhere in the country without taking into account wildlife management. Two pieces of legislation that make it very difficult for me are the e