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HR 5961 112th Congress House Agriculture and Food Agricultural conservation and pollution Agricultural practices and innovations Aviation and airports Environmental assessment, monitoring, research Environmental regulatory procedures Farmland Government information and archives Intelligence activities, surveillance, classified information Judicial procedure and administration Right of privacy Water quality

Farmer's Privacy Act of 2012

Introduced: June 19, 2012 Introduced by: Capito, Shelley Moore Republican · West Virginia See on congress.gov
 Everywhere this bill has been 10 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Sep 20, 2012
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 493.
Sep 20, 2012
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. H. Rept. 112-682.
Aug 1, 2012
Subcommittee on Aviation Discharged.
Aug 1, 2012
Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment Discharged.
Aug 1, 2012
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
Aug 1, 2012
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Jun 20, 2012
Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
Jun 20, 2012
Referred to the Subcommittee on Aviation.
Jun 19, 2012
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Jun 19, 2012
Introduced in House
 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Farmer's Privacy Act of 2012 - Prohibits the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in exercising any authority under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act), from conducting aerial surveillance of agricultural land unless the Administrator has: (1) obtained the voluntary written consent of the owner or operator of the land to be surveilled, and (2) obtained from the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia a certification of reasonable suspicion that a violation of the Act exists in the area to be surveilled.

Requires the Administrator to ensure that such consent: (1) specifies a period of up to one year during which the consent is effective, (2) contains a specific description of the geographical area to be surveilled, (3) contains limitations on the days and times during which the surveillance may be conducted if requested by such owner or operator, and (4) is granted voluntarily. Prohibits the Administrator from threatening additional, more detailed, or more thorough inspections or coercing or enticing such owner's or operator's consent.

Prohibits the Administrator, except where a land operator or owner has petitioned for copies of information collected through aerial surveillance permitted under this Act or where the information is pertinent to an active EPA investigation or prosecution, from disclosing information collected through such surveillance. Excepts information collected through such surveillance from the Freedom of Information Act.

Requires the destruction of information collected through aerial surveillance conducted under this Act not later than 30 days after collection, unless it is pertinent to an active EPA investigation or prosecution.

What's happening now September 20, 2012

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 493.

 Committees of jurisdiction 3