By Chris Kick
Livestock farmers could be just hours away from a federal regulation that will require them to report to the EPA on how much emissions their farms release, in the form of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide.
As it stands now, farms that exceed the federal threshold limit for emissions will need to file a report beginning Wednesday, Nov. 15.
The requirement is part of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act; and the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act.
The EPA exempted most farms from reporting their emissions in a 2008 ruling that would have exempted farms that have fewer animals than a concentrated feeding operation. However, a number of concerned citizen groups challenged the exemption and a U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruling in April 2017, struck down the exemption.
The EPA has asked the court for an extension on the Nov. 15 deadline, but unless one is granted, farmers will need to determine their livestock emissions, and if they’re at or above the daily allowable threshold, they’ll need report those amounts to the government.
The threshold for ammonia and hydrogen sulfide is 100 pounds in a 24-hour period. If a farm releases either or both gasses at 100 or more pounds in 24 hours, a report will need to be filed, according to the EPA.
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