EPA throws in the towel on policing air pollution from factory farms

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced it will no longer develop methods to monitor and regulate air pollution from factory farms, effectively abandoning its efforts under the Clean Air Act. This decision comes after over 20 years of attempts to regulate the facilities, which emit pollutants such as fine particulate matter, ammonia, and sulfur dioxide, contributing to nearly 12,700 deaths in the US each year. The EPA had previously worked with the livestock industry to develop a deal allowing thousands of factory farms to avoid reporting emissions and legal action. The study, funded by the industry, aimed to develop tools and models to measure pollution, but it was never completed. The decision was made just before the midterm elections and is seen as a concession to farmers, a key constituency for the Republican Party.