Submitted by Kent Atkinson, Jul 13, 2007 01:38

Ms. Furchtgott-Roth is wrong to say there is a tax on methane emissions by livestock in New Zealand. A levy to raise funds for research into mitigating such emissions -- which make up nearly half NZ's total greenhouse gas emissions -- was proposed at one stage but not implemented. The so-called "fart tax" (the proposed levy) was opposed by farmers, who now look likely to have a "fert tax" on nitrogen fertiliser to subsidise use of nitrification inhibiter chemicals that slow the loss of another greenhouse gas, nitrous oxide, to the atmosphere. By the way, ruminants such as sheep and cattle mostly emit their methane as "burps" rather than farts.
Kent Atkinson
Wellington, NZ

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