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Proposed EPA Particulate Standards Have Implications for Agriculture
Located in Portland, Oregon, the Air Quality and Atmospheric Change (AQAC)
National Technology Development Team has been working to evaluate the effects
of newly proposed changes to the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for
particulate matter (PM) set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
These changes could have an important impact on how agricultural sources of
particulate emissions, dust, and ammonia are regulated.
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(above) agricultural sources of dust, such as tillage and harvesting
operations and animal activity in dry lots, generally result in emissions
of PM10
PM2.5
is typically emitted by combustion and can also be formed from ammonia
through chemical reactions
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Current EPA air quality standards regulate two forms of particulate matter –
PM10, with a diameter of 10
micrometers or less (about 1/7 of the diameter of a human hair), and PM2.5,
which has a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less. Agricultural sources of dust,
such as tillage and harvesting operations and animal activity in dry lots,
generally result in emissions of PM10.
PM2.5 is typically emitted by
combustion but can also be formed from ammonia through chemical reactions.
Areas are monitored for compliance with EPA standards and rated as
“Attainment” (Meets) or “Non-Attainment” (Does Not Meet) regarding those
standards. Agricultural sources currently must comply with any applicable
regulations for these two forms of particulate matter, especially in areas
that do not meet EPA’s standards for these pollutants.
EPA has proposed to change the current PM10
standard (currently 0 to 10 micrometers in diameter) to a PM Coarse standard
(2.5 to 10 micrometers in diameter). EPA is also proposing to exclude
from the new standard particulate matter that is primarily rural windblown
dust and soil as well as particulates generated from agricultural and mining
sources. This means that agricultural operations would not be subject to
additional emission controls in order to meet EPA’s new PM Coarse standard.
This will allow NRCS to continue providing farmers and ranchers with voluntary
alternatives and practices to reduce particulates.
For PM2.5, EPA has proposed to lower
the daily standard by nearly 50 percent, which is expected to result in an
additional 75 counties nationwide that would not meet EPA’s PM2.5
standards. Many of these counties are in the western United States, and
some will likely include rural areas and agricultural sources. Since there are
no exemptions from the PM2.5 standards,
agricultural sources (especially ammonia emissions from livestock operations
and fertilizer application) could be subject to additional regulatory
requirements, particularly in areas that do not meet the PM2.5
standards.
The air quality experts on the AQAC National Technology Development Team are
following the EPA proposal closely. Although EPA must finalize the rule,
including any changes resulting from public comments, by September 27, 2006,
final designations of whether areas meet or do not meet the new standards are
not expected until 2010 for PM2.5 and
2013 for PM Coarse. More information will be provided throughout the rule
development process.
NRCS is committed to using voluntary incentive programs to promote
conservation of our natural resources, including air quality, and we will
continue to do so within the bounds of applicable regulations. We are
helping people help the land as they also comply with air quality
requirements.
Your contact is Greg Zwicke,
NRCS air quality engineer, at 503-273-2434.
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