(Grand Island Independent) -- TheIndependent.com reports U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith this week called on House Agriculture Chairman Collin Peterson, D-Minn., to convene a House Agriculture Committee hearing on environmental burdens on rural America, including Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations of carbon dioxide, methane and other gases under the Clean Air Act.
According to the story, "Smith said that EPA has formally declared carbon dioxide, methane and four other heat-trapping gases to be pollutants," as that such a declaration would have a "'devastating impact' on agriculture producers." The story notes that "Smith, a member of the House Agriculture Committee, said the 3rd District of Nebraska is one of the largest agricultural districts in the country, home to more than 30,000 farmers and ranchers, including the nation’s top three beef cow counties in the U.S. – Cherry County with nearly 165,000 head; Holt County with 101,000 head; and Custer County with 93,000 head. ... Nebraska also ranks first in the nation in commercial red meat production.
Smith said Nebraska farms and ranches contributed more than $14 billion to Nebraska’s economy, with one of every three jobs in the state tied to the agriculture industry."
See more at <http://www.theindependent.com/articles/2009/06/14/news/local/doc4a35754038116154096603.txt>
