Should Farmers Sign an Air Quality Compliance Agreement with EPA?
Gene McCluer, Agriculture Extension Educator, Hardin County; Chris Zoller, Agriculture Extension Educator, Tuscarawas County; The Ohio State University (top of page) Public concern over air quality impacts from animal feeding operations is increasing in some areas of the US. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on January 21, 2005 that it had reached an agreement to study air emissions from livestock and poultry operations. The study will be done as a component of the Air Quality Compliance Agreement. This is a voluntary agreement between the EPA and individual animal feeding operations. The Compliance Agreement involves payment of a “penalty” for past violations that may have occurred. Most local livestock operations are expected to fall well below the daily ammonia, dust, and hydrogen sulfide levels that the EPA is expected to regulate. However, on the days that manure is handled, these farms could produce enough ammonia to reach a level the EPA establishes for regu
