They have been reporting to and following enforcement from the state Department of Environmental Quality. Now, though, the Environmental Protection Agency is conducting inspections in Nebraska, and its enforcement procedures and regulations are different from what the state has been following, according to ranchers. Many may be tempted to respond that the law is the law, and no matter who is enforcing it, the livestock producers should comply. It's not, however, that simple. Having two different agencies inspecting a ranch for the same thing and giving conflicting information only sows confusion.
Ranchers say they've been dealing with state inspectors for years and following their lead.
Now the feds have butted in and are throwing a blizzard of new rules at them. It's clear that state and EPA officials must get together and decide who will conduct the inspections and have clear guidelines on how they'll be enforced. This is not to say that producers should be given a break in meeting regulations. What they need is relief from burdensome double inspections. The state and feds should easily be able to work this out so the regulatory burden is lessened.