June 9, 2005

Purdue explains participation in EPA livestock emissions study

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue University is mailing a pamphlet to livestock facilities and has posted information on the Internet about the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's livestock Air Emissions Consent Agreement and National Monitoring study.

Those wanting to participate in the 24-month monitoring study must apply by July 29.

The study is part of an agreement with the EPA to gather the necessary data so that animal feeding operations can comply with the federal Clean Air Act and notification provisions of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act and the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act. From the study data, the EPA will set national air policies, identify maximum emissions amounts and regulate these standards.

"The EPA needs as much information from livestock facilities as possible in order to set standards that are appropriate for today's animal feeding operations," said Alan Sutton, Purdue animal sciences professor.

Participants in the voluntary National Air Emissions Monitoring Study must pay a fee, but by taking part in the program, they are protected from paying fines on assumed past violations for as long as the previous five years, Sutton said. Animal feeing operations that aren't part of the study could be assessed as much as $27,500 per day for assumed past violations for the five previous years.

The federal Clean Air Act only will affect large livestock feeding operations since that law bases permit thresholds on annual emissions, Sutton said. However, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability and the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know acts, based on the study's report, could affect relatively small to medium-sized livestock operations since these laws assess emissions on a daily basis, Sutton said.

Albert Heber, Purdue agricultural and biological engineering professor, will oversee the collaboration of university researchers from around the country who will monitor livestock operations for the EPA study. Emissions that will be monitored include dust, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, ammonia and volatile organic compounds.

Further information on how the consent agreement affects livestock operations and how to apply for study participation is available online or by contacting one of the Purdue Extension Service experts in the Department of Animals Sciences.

Writer: Susan A. Steeves, (765) 496-7481, ssteeves@purdue.edu

Sources: Alan Sutton, (765) 494-8012, asutton@purdue.edu

Mike Schutz, (765) 494-9478, mschutz@purdue.edu

Todd Applegate, (765) 496-7769, applegt@purdue.edu

Brian Richert, (765) 494-4837, brichert@purdue.edu

Don Jones, (765) 494-1178, jonesd@purdue.edu

Ag Communications: (765) 494-2722;
Beth Forbes, forbes@purdue.edu
Agriculture News Page

Related Web sites:
Purdue Department of Animals Sciences, Extension

Purdue Agricultural Air Quality Laboratory

Purdue Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering

U.S. Department of Agriculture

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