Dorgan hopes cattle methane emissions fee runs out of gas
Grand Forks Herald, December 14, 2008 [here]
BISMARCK — Sen. Byron Dorgan is raising a stink about feds who may have their eye on taxing cow farts.
In response to an Environmental Protection Agency report citing the amount of greenhouse gases — meth… ane, that is — produced by belching and flatulence of cows and pigs, Dorgan has introduced the Livestock Emissions Tax Ban Act. It would stop the EPA from putting a fee on livestock owners for gas emissions under the Clean Air Act.
Farm groups, including the Farm Bureau, are worried the EPA could be taking steps that could lead to taxing ranchers’ livestock.
A Dorgan statement said, “If you ever wonder why the American people view their government with distrust, just refer to this weekend’s news about the deep thinking going on at the Environmental Protection Agency.”
He warned that “somebody in the bowels of EPA’s headquarters” has been examining greenhouse gases produced by livestock.”
Federal agencies ought to use common sense, Dorgan said, “and clearly, there are much more important issues facing the nation than this one. So, just to clear the air (legislatively), I have introduced legislation that would prevent the EPA from implementing any scheme the would tax or otherwise charge farmers and ranchers for the methane emitted by their animals.”
He said that while EPA said it’s not proposing such a tax, he wants to ensure that doesn’t happen.
by Louise T.
by Dan
Not only will beef prices explode, but so will dairy products. Do they actually think about what will happen if something like this passes? I have been involved with the beef industry all my life. If we are charged a per cow tax, we are selling out and I know a lot of other ranchers that will be forced to sell as well. But then again, that is probably what they want!
Not probably. The take over of property is the ultimate goal, objective, mission of allegedly “environmental” advocates. It is all about absconding the real estate.
Which, if you think about it, is the definition of war. War is the usurping control of territory by force.
There is a war being waged in America today. Moneyed interests seek to gain property from private citizens by nefarious means. Strip away the gloss and what we are left with is war, pure and simple.
by Sheree
This tax is terrible, i have also been in the cattle industry all my life. They put this stupid tax on and all the ranchers sell out, what is the world going to eat? Are they all going to become vegetraiens? No! People need to think on what they are doing, in the future it is just going to come back and kick them harder then the so called “methane problem.” Everything Lets off Methane do they not understand that? UHG!
This tax on cattle is insane, cattle have been producing methane since forever.
This is going to put ranchers and cattlemen out of business if this tax ever passes.
It’s bad enough, now that we’re using our corn for ethanol, thereby shorting us and the entire world of good food that could have been put on our tables at a reasonable price.
If this tax ever passes, the price of beef is going to skyrocket, and who needs that?
And again, the worst of all people are going to be forced out of work and production… these are the poor people that break their backs everyday to try to make a living by trying to feed a hungry nation and world that we live in.
Again, another simple explanation: let’s take as much as we can from the few that have absolutely nothing to take from, as the rich continue to sit on their million’s.
This is a very sad state of affairs, just one more sick and twisted tax that will drive this economy off of the cliff.
Please don’t let this happen. It is very very very wrong.