Four groups filed a lawsuit in the District of Columbia District Court of Appeals challenging the air emissions consent agreement between the livestock industry and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The groups include the Environmental Integrity Project, Sierra Club, Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement and the Association of Irritated Residents.

In a statement, the groups said, “EPA should use its existing legal authority to gather emissions data and enforce clean air laws. Furthermore, there should be a moratorium on new or expanding concentrated animal feeding operations until EPA can gather the emissions data it says it still needs to quantify harmful air emissions.”

NPPC called the groups' statement “a misguided attempt by activists to block sound science from occurring with regard to livestock air emissions.”

EPA officials and the National Academy of Sciences have agreed sound scientific data is lacking for enforcement of current air laws.

To establish scientific data, the pork industry is working with Purdue University to conduct the EPA-approved study (See: “Environmental Center Has ‘Statistical Power,’” March 15, 2005, pages 12, 14, National Hog Farmer.)