Agricultural Air Quality Agricultural Air Quality PracticesPractices

USDA-NRCSUSDA-NRCS

Columbus-Palomas Technical WorkshopColumbus-Palomas Technical Workshop

December 2, 2008December 2, 2008

Atmospheric Resource Quality Atmospheric Resource Quality Management Standard, 370Management Standard, 370

Purposes

1. Maintain or increase visibility2. Minimize or reduce emissions of:

- particulate matter- smoke- odors- greenhouse gases- ozone- chemical drift

Air Quality - Particulate Matter

• Particulate matter of 2.5 or 10 microns (PM-2.5 or PM-10) is potential health hazard

• Can occur from wind erosion events, smoke, tillage operations, chemical drift

Air Quality - Particulate Matter

• PM can be emitted directly (primary PM – dust, pollen, soot, etc.)

• Or formed in the atmosphere (secondary PM – formed from reactions and condensation of sulfates, nitrates, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and ammonia)

Air Quality - Particulate Matter• PM10 refers to suspended particles less than or

equal to 10 microns in diameter, about one-seventh the diameter of a human hair; small enough to be inhaled deep into the lungs.

• High levels of PM10 can increase the number and severity of asthma attacks, cause or aggravate bronchitis and other lung diseases, and reduce the body's ability to fight infections.

• People most vulnerable to these effects include infants and children, the elderly, anyone who is exercising (because they breathe in more air, and therefore more particles), and those suffering from asthma or bronchitis.

Air Quality - Particulate Matter

• In urban areas, particles in the fine fraction (PM2.5) produced primarily by fuel combustion, consist of both solid and liquid droplets of sulfates, nitrates, and organic compounds, and are hazardous to health in lower concentrations than the coarse fraction of PM10.

• Potential Agricultural contributors – ammonia emissions, nitrates (fertilizers, animal emissions, and animal waste emissions), sulfates, chemical drift, volatile organic products

Air Quality - Smoke

• In impacted airsheds, reduce or eliminate burning of agricultural residues unless required for disease control

• In airsheds impacting Class 1 regional haze areas, burn or smoke management plans shall be followed

• New Mexico Burn Permit shall be followed

Air Quality - Odor

• Agricultural odors complex mixture of gases causing emotional and physiological responses via smell

• VOCs, ammonia, odorous sulfur compounds

• Major ag source is livestock

Air Quality – Greenhouse Gases

• Compounds in atmosphere that capture and retain energy; lead to “greenhouse effect”

• Carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide GHGs in ag operations

Air Quality – Greenhouse Gases• Carbon dioxide emissions through combustion

of fossil fuels, burning, and decomposition of soil organic matter.

• Nitrous oxide emissions principally derived from soils, the application of organic and inorganic fertilizers, biomass burning, and livestock waste management.

• Burning of agricultural residues creates emissions of carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide.

• Methane emissions from agricultural sources are from animal waste storage, treatment, and application.

Air Quality - Ozone

• Gas composed of 3 oxygen atoms

• Primary component of smog

• Not typically emitted from ag operations

• However, formed in lower atmosphere through chemical reactions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and VOCs, ozone precursors, in presence of sunlight

Air Quality - Ozone

• Health effects, visibility problems, damage to vegetation resulting from ground-level ozone

• Agricultural practices such as burning of agricultural wastes, application of pesticides, livestock and livestock waste contribute to VOC.

• Agricultural practices such as burning, farm equipment, and use of stationary and portable agricultural engines contribute to NOx.

Air Quality in Conservation Air Quality in Conservation PlanningPlanning

• National conservation practice standards on website, http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/Standards/nhcp.html

• New Mexico state conservation practice standards on website, http://www.nm.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/fotg/section-4/std-specs.html

Air Quality PlanningAir Quality Planning

• Air Quality –Atmospheric Resource Quality Assessment Tool: New Mexico NRCS Environmental Technical Note 8; http://www.nm.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/tech-notes/envir.html

• Decision tree to help planners and producers assess whether or not they have air quality/ atmospheric resource issues/concerns and then how to address that issue/concern.

Atmospheric Resource Quality Atmospheric Resource Quality Assessment ToolAssessment Tool – PM10 – PM10

Is the Conservation Treatment Unit (CTU) in a non-attainment area?

– PM10

A. Are there unpaved roads and equipment areas?

• Synthetic/organic suppressants for PM control • Water • Speed or traffic reduction techniques (speed

bumps, speed limits, gates) • Mulches (almond hulls, wood chips)• Paving or gravel surfaces (560).

Atmospheric Resource Quality Atmospheric Resource Quality Assessment Tool – PM10Assessment Tool – PM10

B. Is there any surface disturbance?

• Residue management practices ( 329C, 344, 329B, and 329A,.)• Vegetative barriers (311, 327,340,332,601,386,603,393,342.)• Irrigation management (449) – land leveling, irrigated or bedded up,

improved water use efficiency• Range management ( 512 and 550)• Forest management ( 490, 460, and 380).• Wildlife management (422)• Land reconstruction ( 572, 543, 466, and 544).• Recreation (566 and 568).

C. Are there any harvest operations?

• Forest management (666 and 660).• Range Management (511).

Atmospheric Resource Quality Atmospheric Resource Quality Assessment Tool – PM10Assessment Tool – PM10

D. Is there any track out on paved roads?• construction entrance

E. Does wind contribute to PM generation and/or transport?• wind erosion control practices – windbreaks (380, 650),

Cross Wind Ridges (589A), Cross Wind Trap Strips (589C), Stripcropping (585), Herbaceous Wind Barriers (603)

F. Are there any feedlots/AFOs?• corral dust control (frequent manure scraping – 634)

G. Is there any on-farm materials handling (grain elevator, bulk fertilizers, manure)?

• waste utilization standard (633)

Atmospheric Resource Quality Atmospheric Resource Quality Assessment Tool – PM2.5Assessment Tool – PM2.5

PM2.5 or its precursors (NH3, NOx)

A. Is this an AFO?• Waste utilization and management (313, 359, 633, and 317).• Frequent manure removal/scraping (634).• Sprinkler irrigation – improve irrigation efficiency, nozzle

pressure, effluent application efficiency, decrease chemical drift • Cover manure storage (365).• Biofilter installation (Amendments for Treatment of Ag Waste

(591))• Feed management

B. Is any agricultural or prescribed burning done?• Consider non-burning alternatives and emission reduction

techniques and follow smoke management plan (338).

Atmospheric Resource Quality Atmospheric Resource Quality Assessment Tool – PM2.5Assessment Tool – PM2.5

C. Are diesel engines used in the operation?

• Switch out to electric engines• Newer certified engines – diesel, natural gas or propane• Retrofit existing engine – add-on technologies• Alternative fuel blends

D. Is there any on-farm materials handling?• Waste utilization and management (NCPS No. 313, 359, 633,

365, 317, and 364).

Atmospheric Resource Quality Atmospheric Resource Quality Assessment Tool – OzoneAssessment Tool – Ozone

• Ozone (Ozone precursors are both VOCs and NOx. )

Is any agricultural or prescribed burning done? (VOCs and NOx)

• Consider non-burning alternatives and emission reduction techniques and follow smoke management plan (NCPS No. 338).

Are nitrogen fertilizers used in the operation? (VOCs)

• Consider N formulation of fertilizer (590)• Fertilizer incorporation (590)• Application rate, method and timing (590)

Atmospheric Resource Quality Atmospheric Resource Quality Assessment Tool – OzoneAssessment Tool – Ozone

Is animal waste utilized on the farm? (VOCs)• Waste utilization ( 633)• Composting (317)

Are pesticides used on the farm? (VOCs)• Consider different formulations and application

techniques, reduce drift - Pest management (595).

Are combustion engines used on the farm? (NOx)• Switch out to electric or cleaner burning natural gas

engine• Retrofit existing engine• Alternative fuel blends

Atmospheric Resource Quality Atmospheric Resource Quality Assessment Tool – Class IAssessment Tool – Class I

Is the CTU within 50 km (~31 miles) of a Class I area? (Near IS<50 km) (smoke/visibility, NOx, O3, VOC, NH3)

• Emission reduction techniques• Use of non-burning alternatives (i.e., chipping,

debris removal)• Crop Residue Management (329C, 344, 329B, and

329A)• Smoke management plan (338).• No-till or Minimum Tillage ( 329C, 344, 329B, and

329A)

Atmospheric Resource Quality Atmospheric Resource Quality Assess. Tool :Nuisance , SafetyAssess. Tool :Nuisance , Safety

Is the CTU within X miles of a concentrated population (X people/mile) or a major transportation corridor (freeway, interstate highway, state highway, airport, vehicle miles traveled)? (nuisance, safety)

• Yes Consider practices/techniques that will reduce or eliminate generation of PM or smoke.

• Yes Consider practices/techniques that will reduce or eliminate generation of odor.

• Feed management (592)

• Biofilters (591)

• Control manure moisture

• Manure management (590, 313, 359, 633)

• Slurry injection

• Composting (317)

Atmospheric Resource Quality Atmospheric Resource Quality Assessment Tool – VOCs, DriftAssessment Tool – VOCs, Drift

Are pesticides applied to the CTU? (VOCs, drift)• Yes Consider practices/techniques that will

reduce or eliminate drift such as:• Consult label directions• Windbreak (380, 650)• Application techniques (595)• Yes Consider practices/techniques that will

reduce or eliminate generation of VOCs such as:• Change pesticide formulation if possible (595)• Integrated Pest Management (595)

Atmospheric Resource Quality Atmospheric Resource Quality Assess. Tool – Greenhouse GasesAssess. Tool – Greenhouse Gases

Are greenhouse gases (ghgs) regulated? (CH4, N2O, CO2, CFCs,) Not yet in New Mexico

Consider practices/techniques that will offset or reduce generation of CH4 such as:

• Digesters for electricity generation (365)• Feed management (592)• Livestock management Consider practices/techniques that will offset or reduce generation of N2O such

as:• Fertilizer formulation (590)• Soil managementConsider practices/techniques that will offset or reduce generation of CO2 such

as:• Residue Management (344)• Use of renewable energy• Reduce or Eliminate open burning• C-sequestration practices to offset CO2 emissions (328)

Common Air Quality Issues- SW Common Air Quality Issues- SW NM NM

• Prescribed Burning of rangeland, pecan piles (Nov. through March), cropland field ditches

• Wind Erosion from farmers still doing tillage operations in 30 mph winds or better, dirt roads

• Odors from CAFO operations (dairy and poultry)