We have developed a Technical Note on Basic Smoke Management Practices (BSMPs) in collaboration with the US Forest Service. This BSMP Tech Note supports recent modifications to our Prescribed Burning Conservation Practice Standard (338). Fire is an essential ecological disturbance, providing many benefits to the environment and prescribed burning can also be a means of protecting air quality by mitigating the occurrence of large wildfires. However, fire produces smoke which contains particulate matter (PM), ozone precursors, greenhouse gases, and other trace gases. BSMPs applied on prescribed burns can mitigate the impacts of smoke to public health, public safety and nuisance, and visibility. (11/2011)
Resource Concern Information Sheets
These are one page fact sheets that describe the air resource concerns addressed by NRCS conservation practices.
Clean Air Act Criteria Pollutants (PDF) - This information sheet contains information about how agriculture impacts the criteria pollutants listed in the Clean Air Act and the possible solutions.
Air Quality and Livestock Operations (PDF, 2 MB) - This fact sheet is a general overview of the main air quality and atmospheric change issues associated with animal operations.
Air Quality Practices and Activities (PDF, 17 KB) - In March of 2006 the NRCS Air Quality and Atmospheric Change Team hosted a meeting with other NRCS National and State air quality contacts. One of the products of the meeting was a list of Air Quality Practices and Activities (17 KB) that mitigate air quality impacts. The list is correlated with existing NRCS Practice Standards.
Air Quality Definitions and Acronyms (PDF, 29 KB) - A list of over 100 air quality acronyms and their definitions. Also provided are urls to other sources of acronyms.
We have developed a Technical Note on Basic Smoke Management Practices (BSMPs) in collaboration with the US Forest Service. This BSMP Tech Note supports recent modifications to our Prescribed Burning Conservation Practice Standard (338). Fire is an essential ecological disturbance, providing many benefits to the environment and prescribed burning can also be a means of protecting air quality by mitigating the occurrence of large wildfires. However, fire produces smoke which contains particulate matter (PM), ozone precursors, greenhouse gases, and other trace gases. BSMPs applied on prescribed burns can mitigate the impacts of smoke to public health, public safety and nuisance, and visibility. (11/2011)