Senators Demand Answers on Why EPA Released Farmers’ Private Info to Environmental Gr

[DeepseekerADS]

Senators Demand Answers on Why EPA Released Farmers’ Private Info to Environmental Groups

Senators Demand Answers on Why EPA Released Farmers? Private Info to Environmental Groups | TheBlaze.com

Twenty-four U.S. senators are calling on the Environmental Protection Agency respond to allegations that it has leaked thousands of farmers’ private information to environmental groups.

“We are writing today to express concern regarding the sensitivity of the data that was released,” the senators said in a letter addressed to EPA acting administrator Bob Perciasepe.

“Unlike most regulated facilities, farms and ranches are also homes and information regarding these facilities should be treated and released with that understanding,” it adds.
24 Senators Aks EPA About Leaked Farmers Info

The senators were prompted to act after a recent report revealed the scope of EPA’s alleged leaking.

“The information was obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request by Earth Justice, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and the Pew Charitable Trust,” the Washington Free Beacon’s C.J. Ciaramella reports.

The EPA said “some of the personal information that could have been protected … was released,” according to official documents obtained by Fox News.

The senators have asked the EPA to explain why the information was being gathered in the first place and who gave it the authority to release it.

The EPA, for its part, claims it has asked the environmental group that received the private data to please return all original forms and personal documents.

Here’s what one EPA spokeswoman said [via WFB]:

EPA’s commitment to working with all stakeholders—the agricultural and environmental communities and our state partners—to ensure clean water and public health protections with regard to the operation of concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) and animal feeding operations (AFOs) requires openness and transparency.

After a recent release by EPA of CAFO- and AFO-related information under a Freedom of Information Act request, the agricultural community raised a number of privacy concerns. In response, EPA determined that some personal information that could have been protected under FOIA was released. EPA has now redacted that information and asked the FOIA requesters to return the original information.

EPA issued a second set of redacted documents that properly amended data for Montana and Nebraska to ensure that personal information in these two states was withheld pursuant to FOIA and privacy protections. EPA provided the organizations with this new version of the data and requested they return the previously released data.

Here’s the full letter from the senators:

View attachment 146349475-6-6-13-Letter-to-EPA-Re-Info-Release.pdf

 

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[DeepseekerADS]

This has been an on-going topic, though not in this forum. There are so many scandals going on, this one is being overlooked. Wonder how many other uncovered scandals with government agencies there are?

It appears to be the entire government crushing citizens who disagree. Oh, it's not a plot.

And yes to all those debaters, this DOES fit into the Second Amendment Watchdog Forum!

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

The purpose of the 2nd amendment was for American citizens to be able to protect their selves from tyranny, the constant abuse of power like this is examples of why we need the 2nd.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

[Bum Luck]

Well, it took a while to find a relatively neutral news service (thehill.com), and when I thought I found one, here's what they said:

This breach of confidentiality resulted from the agency’s desire to appease environmentalists, and I am appalled that the EPA would be so careless with the personal information of these hardworking farmers.

In 2011, the EPA proposed a rule that requires Contained Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO’s) owners to provide the EPA with specific information, such as their location and personal contact information. In July of 2012, the EPA withdrew this rule due to privacy concerns; however, the EPA continued to collect this data using information collected on the state level. This information was released as a result of three environmental groups’ FOIA request.


News flash: A FOIA request is NOT a desire to appease; it's a legal request that must be complied with under Federal law. This blog was authored by By Rep. Bob Gibbs (R-Ohio). Not Glenn Beck or El Rushbo, but a Congressman that should and does know better.

I hate to be a TNet Snopes - I'd much rather be MDing; but it gripes me when no one fact checks anything. That is (especially these days) a requirement for citizenship, and I think, for voting. Either "side".

It makes total sense to me that EPA would have contact information so as to contact farmers. Duh. That some of these operations are family farms is hardly a state secret. Nor is their contact information; a quick search on my local farms reveals they have websites with - gasp - contact information. Duh.

I do think that EPA should have redacted the personal info.

But I also think that it's much more than a coincidence that the IRS thing, the NSA issue, and now the EPA "scandal" follows one another like it's scripted. Hmmmm.

Shades of 1984. Voters, start your brains.

 

[packerbacker]

It would be one thing if just one person went to prison and lost all of their retirement benefits but everyone seems immune to prosecution. Either cover each other's butts and get promotions or take the 5th. It's like dealing with the Chicago mobs of the 20's.

 

[DeepseekerADS]

Bum Luck, you made good points there. I'm happy you went to the extent of research you went to. Most of us do only respond to headlines, there are so many lately....

But, I also believe you closed it out well. The story does chime in with all of the other scandals floating around, and there are certain to be others.

However, the three which are the most horrendous, are Benghazi, the IRS, and now the NSA....

These three issues kinda make you stop asking "what the heck is going on?", and start giving active voice to the affronts.

Normally in this civilization we have I would personally prefer to be invisible. But now I feel compelled to be a voice of information dissemination.

 

[Bum Luck]

Bum Luck, you made good points there. I'm happy you went to the extent of research you went to. Most of us do only respond to headlines, there are so many lately....

But, I also believe you closed it out well. The story does chime in with all of the other scandals floating around, and there are certain to be others.

However, the three which are the most horrendous, are Benghazi, the IRS, and now the NSA....

These three issues kinda make you stop asking "what the heck is going on?", and start giving active voice to the affronts.

Normally in this civilization we have I would personally prefer to be invisible. But now I feel compelled to be a voice of information dissemination.

What started me being suspicious is that Benghazi has consumed Congress for months, when they should be busy with the deplorable state of - well, themselves for starters.