California Gov. Jerry Brown has signed into law a measure that would require Golden State farmers to reduce cow flatulence, among other “emissions,” by 40 percent (below 2013 levels) by 2030. Of
That, despite, as some farm groups have noted, the government’s admission that there’s currently no known way to achieve such a goal. That should surprise no one, considering this is a government operation. Regulate now, figure it out later.
To be fair, Senate Bill 1383 regulates more than animal, er, passings. It also seeks to reduce methane emissions from belching and manure. The idea is to capture that methane as an energy source on and off the farm. It might be a noble cause but it fails the practicability test.
As the Western United Dairymen (WUD) note, the methane “digesters” that would be required to meet state government’s overall attempt to drastically reduce dairy cow emissions could cost $2 million each for a whopping $2 billion outlay.
Alas, state government would offer $50 million in subsidies from a cap-and-trade fee charged to “polluters.” That’s a government intervention to cover up the lie of a government intervention, no?
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