I
113th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 4157
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 6, 2014
Mr. Crawford (for himself, Mr. Costa, Mr. Terry, and Mr. McIntyre) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, Agriculture, and Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To protect the information of livestock producers, and for other purposes.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the Farmer Identity Protection Act
.
Findings
Congress finds that—
United States livestock producers supply a vital link in the food supply of the United States, which is listed as a critical infrastructure by the Secretary of Homeland Security;
domestic terrorist attacks have occurred at livestock operations across the United States, endangering the lives and property of people of the United States;
livestock operations in the United States are largely family owned and operated with most families living at the same location as the livestock operation;
State governments and agencies are the primary authority in almost all States for the protection of water quality under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.);
State agencies maintain records on livestock operations and have the authority to address water quality issues where needed; and
there is no discernible environmental or scientifically research-related need to create a database or other system of records of livestock operations in the United States by the Administrator.
Definitions
In this Act:
Administrator
The term Administrator means the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
Agency
The term Agency means the Environmental Protection Agency.
Livestock operation
The term livestock operation includes any operation involved in the raising or finishing of livestock and poultry.
Procurement and disclosure of information
Prohibition
Except as provided in subsection (b), the Administrator, any officer or employee of the Agency, or any contractor or cooperator of the Agency, shall not disclose the information of any owner, operator, or employee of a livestock operation provided to the Agency by a livestock producer or a State agency in accordance with the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.) or any other law, including—
names;
telephone numbers;
email addresses;
physical addresses;
Global Positioning System coordinates; or
other identifying information regarding the location of the owner, operator, livestock, or employee.
Effect
Nothing in this Act affects—
the disclosure of information described in subsection (a) if—
the information has been transformed into a statistical or aggregate form at the county level or higher without any information that identifies the agricultural operation or agricultural producer; or
the livestock producer consents to the disclosure;
the authority of any State agency to collect information on livestock operations;
the authority of the Agency to disclose the information on livestock operations to State or other Federal governmental agencies; or
the authority of the Agency to maintain the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit program’s public notice and comment process.
Condition of permit or other programs
The approval of any permit, practice, or program administered by the Administrator shall not be conditioned on the consent of the livestock producer under subsection (b)(1)(B).