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Thune says cattle exemption bill in the worksMITCHELL, S.D. (AP)--An aide to Sen. John Thune says Thune's bill to exempt livestock from the Clean Air Act has been filed with the clerk of the U.S. Senate. Thune, a Republican, said such legislation would, in effect, eliminate the chance that cattle and other livestock will be taxed as a way to cut down on their alleged contribution to air pollution. Thune said the Clean Air Act was designed to target smokestacks in industrial states and not farm and ranch livestock. A spokeswoman for Democratic Sen. Tim Johnson, Julianne Fisher, says there's no effort to impose a tax on livestock but added that Johnson would not support higher taxes on family farmers. The Environmental Protection Agency has denied it is targeting livestock as a potential tax source. The EPA enforces Clean Air Act and was told by the Supreme Court in 2007 to regulate greenhouse gases. As part of that, discussions reportedly were held about making farmers buy permits for the methane contained in waste gas released by dairy cows, beef cattle and other livestock. "I don't know where the votes are and I would suspect opposition from members of Congress on the East and West Coast, but would have a lot of support from those who represent the heartland," Thune told the Daily Republic. New York Sen. Charles Schumer, a Democrat, told a New York newspaper this week that the EPA should immediately quash any plans to move forward with a so-called cow tax. "We cannot allow for even a baby step forward to be taken on this idea," he said. Last month, the American Farm Bureau Federation said it is convinced the EPA's proposal to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act will result in new taxes on livestock operations. The farm group cited U.S. Department of Agriculture figures and said any farm or ranch with more than 25 dairy cows, 50 beef cattle or 200 hogs emits more than 100 tons of carbon equivalent per year. Therefore, the Farm Bureau says, those operations--making up more than 90 percent of U.S. dairy, beef and pork production--would have to get a permit under the proposed EPA rules. The Farm Bureau says the fees would mean annual assessments of more than $100 per dairy cow, $87.50 per head of cattle and $20 per hog. "It's going to be very difficult to raise livestock in this country if some of those rules continue to be put in place," Thune said. 12/22/08 Date: 12/17/08
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