Midwest Environmental Advocates, Friends of Milwaukee's Rivers and Family Farm Defenders have joined the more than 70 groups from 27 states objecting to a proposal by the Environmental Protection Agency that would exempt factory farms from reporting emissions of toxic gases from animal waste.

The public interest law firm Earthjustice submitted formal comments today on behalf of the groups, which include family farmers and environmental advocates, saying the proposal will harm the people living and working near these operations. Today was the deadline for public comment on the proposed rule change, which was quietly unveiled in the week between Christmas and New Year's Day.

Under the proposed rule change, large chicken production facilities, hog confinements and cattle feeding operations would no longer have to report hazardous releases of ammonia, hydrogen sulfide and other toxic gases. Anyone driving past knows there's a lot of that stuff being released.

EPA proposed the rule change after pressure from agriculture industry lobbyists -- despite findings by its own scientists that toxic gases from factory farms can pose serious health risks, including respiratory illness, lung inflammation and increasing vulnerability to asthma. Sudden exposure can also be fatal; one study found that 19 workers at factory farms in Iowa were killed from hydrogen sulfide released during manure agitation.

"This is the EPA equivalent of burying its head in the sand when it comes to toxic air emissions," said Jamie Saul, Staff Attorney with Midwest Environmental Advocates.

The rule change would drop reporting requirements for hazardous air releases from big animal-feeding operations such as the proposed 7,000-head Rosendale Dairy in Fond du Lac County, which is attempting to locate near the Town of Rosendale despite significant community protest. If opened, the Rosendale Dairy would be Wisconsin's largest.

It's Kessler vs. Schudson, Again: Looks like it will be Charles Schudson versus a Kessler again. This time it's state Rep. Fred Kessler. Kessler's wife Joan defeated Schudson in a contentious Appeals Court race in 2004. Now Kessler is firing a preemptive strike, stealing some of Schudson's thunder, filing a complaint with the state Office of Lawyer Regulation about Schudson's complaints.

"Schudson has repeatedly complained to every imaginable regulatory body about the campaign," says Kessler. "It is very hard to lose an election. I understand because I have lost several times. I have found that after you lose an election you have to move on to other opportunities in your life."

Police and Parents: Milwaukee's parental responsibility ordinance isn't exactly ringing up the registers of law enforcement. Since July 2007, only 97 tickets were handed out to supposed bad parents.

"There have been some growing pains but I think we've gotten over that hurdle," Deputy Inspector Mary Hoerig told a Common Council committee.

This ordinance says police can issue tickets to parent of a juvenile who is convicted of ordinance violations two times within a six-month period or three or more times within a 12-month period. Fines range from $200 to $400.