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Animal Feeding Operations - Air Programs
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Animal Feeding Operations Highlights
- New Technologies to Mitigate Air Emissions from Manure
-
Voluntary, confidential, FREE technical environmental support to livestock operations:
- Farms located east of the Mississippi River
- Farms located west of the Mississippi River - Final Mandatory Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule
- 2008 Final CAFO Rule
- "What to Expect" webcast at LPELC
Animal Feeding Operations Resources
The following links provide information and facts on regulations for AFOs and CAFOs related to air programs.
Information on Air Emissions from Agricultural IndustriesReporting Requirements for Air Releases
- Air Emissions Monitoring Study for Animal Feeding Operations (AFOs)
- Air Quality Compliance Agreement for Animal Feeding Operations
- New Source Performance Standards and Emission Guidelines
- Final Mandatory Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule
- Rule Change Provides Exemptions from Reporting Requirements for Air Releases of Hazardous Substances from Farm Animal Waste
Related topics
Animal Feeding Operations
Regulations for AFOs Related to Water ProgramsMore information from EPA
"Airing Out Environmental Directives"Information from USDA
CSREES National Air Quality ProgramInformation from Educational Institutions
Texas A&M: Center for Ag Air Quality Engineering and Science - The mission of the CAAQES is to provide the research, technology transfer, and educational programs that will result in appropriate regulation of agricultural operations, rapid adoption of new air pollution abatement technology, as well as increase the number of graduates pursuing careers in environmental air quality fields.University of MN: Manure Management and Air Quality - Information includes literature reviews, emissions quantification, control technologies, other links.
Mitigating Air Emissions from Animal Manure: Summaries of Innovative Technologies: Summaries of proceedings from the May 2008 National Conference on Mitigating Air Emissions from Animal Feeding Operations in Des Moines, IA are available through the Livestock and Poultry Environmental Learning Center. Summaries can be sorted by animal species; facility or use area; type of technology; or pollutant mitigated.
Information on Air Emissions from Agricultural Industries
Information on air pollutant emission factors from food and agricultural industries, including livestock and poultry feed operations.
Air Emissions from Animal Feeding Operations (scroll down to "9.4 Livestock and Poultry Feed Operations")
Related emission factor documentsAir Emissions Monitoring Study for Animal Feeding Operations (AFOs)
EPA collaborates with farmers on the first-ever nationwide study of air emissions from animal feeding operations (AFOs). Researchers from eight universities will take part in a two-year, $14.6 million study to measure levels of hydrogen sulfide, particulate matter, ammonia, nitrous oxide, volatile organic compounds, and other gases from poultry, dairy, and swine facilities at 24 sites in nine states as part of an innovative and voluntary consent agreement EPA developed with the AFO industry. This agreement established a framework for farmers to participate in a monitoring study in which over 2,600 agreements were signed, representing approximately 14,000 swine, dairy, egg-laying, and broiler chicken (meat-bird) farms (an AFO can include more than one farm).
More information on the Air Emissions Monitoring Study
June 14, 2007 Press ReleaseAir Quality Compliance Agreement for Animal Feeding Operations
On January 21, 2005, EPA announced an air quality compliance agreement to address emissions from certain animal feeding operations, also known as AFOs. The primary goals of the Air Quality Compliance Agreement are:
- Reduce air pollution
- Ensure compliance with applicable Clean Air Act, Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) and Environmental Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) provisions
- Monitor and evaluate AFO emissions
- Promote a national consensus on methodologies for estimating emissions from AFOs.
EPA's AFO Air Agreement Web page
Frequently Asked Questions
Information Sheet
Press Release (January 21, 2005)
Press Release (August 22, 2006)
Monitoring Protocol
Response to Public Comments on the AFO Air AgreementNew Source Performance Standards and Emission Guidelines
New Source Performance Standards and Emission Guidelines for Existing Sources: Other Solid Waste Incineration Units (OSWI) - EPA is proposing new source performance standards and emission guidelines for new and existing "other" solid waste incinerators units. EPA describes the categories: (3) agricultural waste incinerators, (4) wood waste incinerators and (6) crematories (including livestock, poultry) in the rule; however, none of these three categories were included by EPA as a subcategory of Other Solid Waste Incinerators (OSWI) for regulation at this time.
Reporting Requirements for Air Releases
Final Mandatory Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule
On September 22, 2009, EPA finalized a national system for reporting emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases produced by major sources in the United States. Under the Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) rule, owners or operators of facilities that contain manure management systems, and emit at least 25,000 metric tons of GHGs per year (expressed as carbon dioxide equivalents) will report emissions from all source categories located at the facility for which emission calculation methods are defined in the rule. Owners or operators will collect emission data; calculate GHG emissions; and follow the specified procedures for quality assurance, missing data, recordkeeping, and reporting.Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule Web Site
March 10, 2009 Press Release
April 10, 2009 Federal Register notice
September 22, 2009 Press Release
Final Rule (PDF) (261 pp, 1.4MB) (Scroll down to Subpart JJ for Manure Management)
Final Rule Fact Sheet (PDF) (3 pp, 35K)Resources
Guide for Agricultural and Livestock Sectors (PDF) (2pp, 43KB)
Manure Management fact sheet (PDF) (2pp, 133KB)
General Fact Sheet for the Proposed Mandatory GHG Reporting Rule (PDF) (2pp, 19KB)
Power point presentation providing a general overview of the Proposed Mandatory Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule (PDF) (23 pp, 401KB)
Frequently Asked Questions
For questions that cannot be answered through the Web site or docket, call 1-877-GHG-1188Rule Change Provides Exemptions from Reporting Requirements for Air Releases of Hazardous Substances from Farm Animal Waste
EPA has finalized a rule providing a full exemption for reporting air releases of hazardous substances from animal waste at farms to the federal government and a partial exemption of reporting the releases to state and local governments. This new rule exempts all farms from reporting air releases under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). The new rule requires only large animal feeding operations to report certain types of releases to local and state agencies, as directed by the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA).Full Text of the New Rule for Smaller Operations (PDF) (45pp, 180KB)
Press Release
Office of Emergency Management fact sheet (PDF) (2pp, 56KB)
Region 7 fact sheet
Information from USDA/CSREES eXtension:
This page is sponsored by
EPA's Ag Center. 