Our view: Idaho environmental officials acted wisely to delay legislation on hydrogen sulfide standards.

The 2003 Idaho Legislature will certainly have its hands full when it convenes in January. One thing it won't have to worry about is legislation for new hydrogen sulfide standards.

The board of directors for the Department of Environmental Quality decided last week it needs more scientific data and analysis before applying a standard to Idaho industries. Despite previous studies on the issue, the board members said there are still too many questions.

Hydrogen sulfide is the putrid gas produced by decaying organic matter. Its rotten-egg smell can cause health problems at high levels and can even be lethal. But the DEQ and Idaho Division of Health haven't been able to determine whether prolonged exposure to low levels of hydrogen sulfide is dangerous.

Tests show hydrogen sulfide causes serious health hazards in concentrations of 10,000 parts per billion. But people can smell hydrogen sulfide at levels as low as 10 ppb. So there's a vast difference between the smell impact and the proven health impact.

Some within the dairy opposition movement would like to base the health standard on odor. But by rejecting the argument that smell alone merits enforcement, the environmental board rightly rejected the campaign to shut down an industry based simply on smell.

Once again, common sense and practical science have prevailed over the emotional appeals of dairy critics. This will not please those who want to eliminate dairies, but it will give the rest of us a reasonable point of reference. And remember, the DEQ is the state agency that dairy critics see as most credible on dairy issues.

Eventually the DEQ will make the right determination on which standards to use. When that day comes, hydrogen sulfide standards must apply fairly to all industries. The agency's ruling will affect not only dairies in Magic Valley, but also timber industries in northern Idaho and other agricultural operations statewide.

The goal in industrial regulation should not be to get a standard on the books quickly. It should be to get the standard right. And, as the successful lawsuit against Twin Falls County dairy moratoriums demonstrated, a regulatory standard won't hold up in court unless it addresses defined health concerns.

Ever since the demand for hydrogen sulfide standards first gained momentum, the proposed standards have been in constant flux. That's because no one has proved the dangers of long-term, low-level exposure.

By waiting to set a standard, the DEQ will rely on independent scientists and risk-management experts to report more detailed information. That will help the agency to write regulations that are fair, effective and scientifically sound.