US farms to report toxic gas emissions

If farms emit more than 100 pounds of either ammonia or hydrogen sulphide over a 24-hour period, they will be required by law to notify both federal and local authorities.

Up to 100,000 livestock and poultry farmers will need to begin sending reports detailing manure-derived gas emissions to the US Coast Guard National Response Centre from 15 November. A written report will also have to be submitted by the farms to the nearest Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) office.

Meanwhile, the National Pork Producers Council and the US Poultry Egg Association have backed an EPA motion calling to extend the deadline to give farmers more time to prepare for mandatory emissions reporting.

EPA had initially exempted farms from reporting emissions under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA). Reporting emissions under the second piece of legislation, the Emergency Planning Community Right to Know Act (EPCRA), was restricted to big animal feeding operations.

Environmental activists successfully challenged this in court and, in April 2017, a federal court said all livestock farms should report hazardous airborne emissions.

Farms must inform federal authorities if emissions from animal waste exceed the 100lb cap under CERCLA.

State and local officials need to be informed in accordance with EPCRA