On the recordDecember 8, 2011
The gentleman from Massachusetts may view this as being about Peter Pan and Tinker Bell and fairy dust, but we have 197 organizations representing rural America that consider it a real problem. At this time, I would like to yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from West Virginia, a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Mr. McKinley. Mr. McKINLEY. I rise today in support of H.R. 1633, the Farm Dust bill. Earlier this year, the House passed H.R. 2273, the bipartisan coal ash legislation. Unfortunately, opponents of the Farm Dust bill believe that nuisance dust in this bill might include fly ash. Therefore, an amendment was offered and adopted to clarify that the definition of ``nuisance dust'' in the Farm Dust bill does not include coal ash or other coal combustion residuals. The amendment makes it perfectly clear that nuisance dust is not composed of any residuals from coal combustion. Unfortunately, opponents of the Farm Dust bill are still, apparently, unaware of the changes that have been made to the bill to address their concerns. Don't oppose the Farm Dust bill because you don't like fly ash. Let's relieve one more threat to our agricultural community with the passage of this bill. We should be striving to create more jobs, not putting up more barriers with misinformation. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
