The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has decided to take aim at farmers who might have “too much” propane on hand.
According to an article in the Southerner, proposed regulations would make propane a “chemical of interest” if kept in quantities of 7500 pounds (1785 gallons) or more. That’s not an issue if you just use propane for your backyard grill, but if you’re a farmer it could cost you.
Up till now, farmers have been able to keep up to 10,000 pounds of propane for farm use without incurring any special cost or scrutiny. Eighty percent of US farms use propane, so this could affect a lot of people.
Farmers are upset about two things. First, DHS is going to run a background check on them. I’m sure the bureaucrats in Washington feel there is a need to do this, but let’s think for a moment.
Most of the farmers I know are living pretty much where they grew up. Most of them have got a substantial investment in their farm. Most of them qualify as rock-solid citizens. Sure, it’s possible that one of them is going to store propane for nefarious purposes, but my bet is that the farmer’s neighbors will spot suspicious activity faster and better than any background check.
It’s not just the background check. It’s the fee. DHS wants to charge each farmer $2,300 to $3,500 for the privilege of being evaluated. In addition to the background check, farmers will need to fill out an online survey. DHS will they evaluate whether they need closer scrutiny.
I think this is a whole mess of bad ideas wrapped in a single package. I’m sure that some official in Washington, who maybe hasn’t even seen a farm up close, is responsible. That same bureaucrat probably thinks that one great thing about the idea is that “it doesn’t cost the taxpayers any money.” That’s true, until you realize that the farmer is already paying his or her share of taxes.