Dairy leaders in California´s San Joaquin Valley are suing the regional air district over a new program that gives them a month to apply for pollution-control permits.
The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District and the dairy owners disagree on the interpretation of a state law that ended agriculture´s exemption from having to apply for permits.
The district wants farms and dairies that emit more than 12 and a-half tons of pollution-forming chemicals a year to apply for a permit by July first.
The dairy industry argues that it should not have to apply for the permits for another two years.
That´s how long it would take the California Air Resources Board to complete an emission study and for the district to review the information and develop regulations.
This post was last modified on 01/31/2009 4:29 pm