{ "id": "RL32948", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "number": "RL32948", "active": false, "source": "EveryCRSReport.com, University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "versions": [ { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 453482, "date": "2016-06-06", "retrieved": "2017-01-13T15:57:02.806775", "title": "Air Quality Issues and Animal Agriculture: A Primer", "summary": "From an environmental quality standpoint, much of the public and policy interest in animal agriculture has focused on impacts on water resources, because animal waste, if not properly managed, can harm water quality through surface runoff, direct discharges, spills, and leaching into soil and groundwater. A more recent issue is the contribution of air emissions from animal feeding operations (AFOs), enterprises where animals are raised in confinement. This report provides background on the latter issue.\nAFOs can affect air quality through emissions of gases such as ammonia and hydrogen sulfide, particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, hazardous air pollutants, and odor. These pollutants and compounds have a number of environmental and human health effects.\nAgricultural operations have been treated differently from other businesses under numerous federal and state laws. Some environmental laws specifically exempt agriculture from regulatory provisions, and some are designed so that farms are not subject to most, if not all, of the regulatory impact. The primary regulatory focus on environmental impacts has occurred under the Clean Water Act. In addition, AFOs that emit large quantities of air pollutants may be subject to Clean Air Act regulation. Some livestock operations also may be regulated under the release reporting requirements of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) and the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA). Questions about the applicability of these laws to livestock and poultry operations have been controversial and have drawn congressional attention. Agriculture\u2019s role as both a source of and a \u201csink\u201d for greenhouse gases also has been of interest in connection with addressing the global challenge of climate change.\nHow to evaluate and manage the health and environmental impacts of emissions from animal agriculture facilities has largely been left up to states. Several states have recognized a need to regulate air emissions from agricultural operations, but many states have not yet adopted or enacted programs affecting AFO emissions. State programs, under statutes and regulations, both implement and supplemental federal CAA requirements. States have used varied techniques to control air emissions from livestock facilities, including emission limits, use of best management practices, and imposition of other pre-operational and operational requirements.\nCongress has shown interest in many of the issues discussed in this report and, more broadly, in the impact of federal regulation on the agriculture sector.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL32948", "sha1": "3f58a5a41f372a0095a406ec406cd1cb83239d0d", "filename": "files/20160606_RL32948_3f58a5a41f372a0095a406ec406cd1cb83239d0d.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL32948", "sha1": "b9a91d13ab034dbcd263fb35dfc12cda4a7828a2", "filename": "files/20160606_RL32948_b9a91d13ab034dbcd263fb35dfc12cda4a7828a2.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4743, "name": "Animal Agriculture" }, { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4750, "name": "Air Quality" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 436634, "date": "2014-12-22", "retrieved": "2016-04-06T19:46:51.410902", "title": "Air Quality Issues and Animal Agriculture: A Primer", "summary": "From an environmental quality standpoint, much of the public and policy interest in animal agriculture has focused on impacts on water resources, because animal waste, if not properly managed, can harm water quality through surface runoff, direct discharges, spills, and leaching into soil and groundwater. A more recent issue is the contribution of air emissions from animal feeding operations (AFOs), enterprises where animals are raised in confinement. This report provides background on the latter issue.\nAFOs can affect air quality through emissions of gases such as ammonia and hydrogen sulfide, particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, hazardous air pollutants, and odor. These pollutants and compounds have a number of environmental and human health effects.\nAgricultural operations have been treated differently from other businesses under numerous federal and state laws. Some environmental laws specifically exempt agriculture from regulatory provisions, and some are designed so that farms are not subject to most, if not all, of the regulatory impact. The primary regulatory focus on environmental impacts has occurred under the Clean Water Act. In addition, AFOs that emit large quantities of air pollutants may be subject to Clean Air Act regulation. Some livestock operations also may be regulated under the release reporting requirements of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) and the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA). Questions about the applicability of these laws to livestock and poultry operations have been controversial and have drawn congressional attention. Agriculture\u2019s role as both a source of and a \u201csink\u201d for greenhouse gases also has been of interest in connection with addressing the global challenge of climate change.\nEnforcement of environmental laws requires accurate measurement of emissions to determine whether regulated pollutants are emitted in quantities that exceed specified thresholds. Two reports by the National Research Council evaluated the state of the science and approaches for estimating AFO air emissions to guide future management and regulatory efforts. In an effort to collect scientifically credible data on air emissions, in 2005 the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a plan negotiated with segments of the animal agriculture industry. Called the Air Compliance Agreement, it was intended to produce air quality monitoring data on AFO emissions, while at the same time protect participants through a \u201csafe harbor\u201d from liability under certain provisions of federal environmental laws. Issues related to this agreement, which was controversial among environmental advocates, state and local air quality officials, and some industry groups, are discussed separately in CRS Report RL32947, Air Quality Issues and Animal Agriculture: EPA\u2019s Air Compliance Agreement.\nCongress has shown considerable interest in many of the issues discussed in this report and, more broadly, in the impact of federal regulation on the agriculture sector.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL32948", "sha1": "cf01dfcde1de42b9ef772b2df1cb231f8e3fbf14", "filename": "files/20141222_RL32948_cf01dfcde1de42b9ef772b2df1cb231f8e3fbf14.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL32948", "sha1": "3fedc753e37e774e15cc2111a773e3a5912d9c10", "filename": "files/20141222_RL32948_3fedc753e37e774e15cc2111a773e3a5912d9c10.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 258, "name": "Clean Air Act and Air Quality" }, { "source": "IBCList", "id": 3116, "name": "Animal Agriculture" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc807102/", "id": "RL32948_2012Jul20", "date": "2012-07-20", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "Air Quality Issues and Animal Agriculture: A Primer", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20120720_RL32948_b832d55ad33445e5cbc0552e4f899e423a402cb6.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20120720_RL32948_b832d55ad33445e5cbc0552e4f899e423a402cb6.html" } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc812915/", "id": "RL32948_2011Nov15", "date": "2011-11-15", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "Air Quality Issues and Animal Agriculture: A Primer", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20111115_RL32948_dd856913acaa1f7a56d690b6d9982676f6a72cc3.pdf" } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc818137/", "id": "RL32948_2010May21", "date": "2010-05-21", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "Air Quality Issues and Animal Agriculture: A Primer", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20100521_RL32948_2b354b54df11d8a283ec9d6d84613594d3601e67.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20100521_RL32948_2b354b54df11d8a283ec9d6d84613594d3601e67.html" } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc812632/", "id": "RL32948_2009Sep08", "date": "2009-09-08", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "Air Quality Issues and Animal Agriculture: A Primer", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20090908_RL32948_d8bf6accb95366ce648ec8e490adc073dca3257a.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20090908_RL32948_d8bf6accb95366ce648ec8e490adc073dca3257a.html" } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc820079/", "id": "RL32948_2008Nov24", "date": "2008-11-24", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "Air Quality Issues and Animal Agriculture: A Primer", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20081124_RL32948_79f008df4c551db9325c5e02595d27836abe35af.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20081124_RL32948_79f008df4c551db9325c5e02595d27836abe35af.html" } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc94007/", "id": "RL32948_2008Jan28", "date": "2008-01-28", "retrieved": "2012-07-24T12:39:36", "title": "Air Quality Issues and Animal Agriculture: A Primer", "summary": "This report reviews the types of air emissions from livestock and poultry operations and their human health and environmental impacts. It then discusses provisions of several federal laws concerned with environmental impacts, beginning with the Clean Water Act, because protecting water resources has been the primary regulatory focus regarding livestock and animal operations.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20080128_RL32948_2c77587bd1ec52083591c7eee6a32022e2acfa90.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20080128_RL32948_2c77587bd1ec52083591c7eee6a32022e2acfa90.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Air quality", "name": "Air quality" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Protection of farm animals", "name": "Protection of farm animals" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Environmental policy", "name": "Environmental policy" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc822113/", "id": "RL32948_2007Aug31", "date": "2007-08-31", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "Air Quality Issues and Animal Agriculture: A Primer", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20070831_RL32948_6f546cd13a51bb7101483869f64bdd8a02f6443f.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20070831_RL32948_6f546cd13a51bb7101483869f64bdd8a02f6443f.html" } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc817553/", "id": "RL32948_2007Apr11", "date": "2007-04-11", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "Air Quality Issues and Animal Agriculture: A Primer", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20070411_RL32948_92b84b0c016a40f1afb0329b85b3fae788d29034.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20070411_RL32948_92b84b0c016a40f1afb0329b85b3fae788d29034.html" } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc810832/", "id": "RL32948_2007Jan03", "date": "2007-01-03", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "Air Quality Issues and Animal Agriculture: A Primer", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20070103_RL32948_eee1c75c2251730d67bd67a0831c74e6ae61eaea.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20070103_RL32948_eee1c75c2251730d67bd67a0831c74e6ae61eaea.html" } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc805268/", "id": "RL32948_2006Oct18", "date": "2006-10-18", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "Air Quality Issues and Animal Agriculture: A Primer", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20061018_RL32948_352cc1d305652cf48447b3e200970782f0fc5aec.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20061018_RL32948_352cc1d305652cf48447b3e200970782f0fc5aec.html" } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metacrs8641/", "id": "RL32948 2006-02-02", "date": "2006-02-02", "retrieved": "2006-06-01T12:54:49", "title": "Air Quality Issues and Animal Agriculture: A Primer", "summary": "This report focuses on the environmental quality of water resources as affected by animal agriculture, specifically animal waste, which can harm water quality through surface runoff, direct discharges, spills, and leaching into soil and groundwater. This report also discusses the contribution of emissions from animal feeding operations (AFO), enterprises where animals are raised in confinement, to air pollution.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20060202_RL32948_188aac27c2539af5f541565378cedcb90782b06f.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20060202_RL32948_188aac27c2539af5f541565378cedcb90782b06f.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Agriculture", "name": "Agriculture" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Air quality", "name": "Air quality" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Agricultural pollution", "name": "Agricultural pollution" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Air pollution", "name": "Air pollution" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Environmental protection", "name": "Environmental protection" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc810865/", "id": "RL32948_2005Nov30", "date": "2005-11-30", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "Air Quality Issues and Animal Agriculture: A Primer", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20051130_RL32948_a41caf50075006841e72096ea5f9bf7e1aa6f1c8.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20051130_RL32948_a41caf50075006841e72096ea5f9bf7e1aa6f1c8.html" } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc807021/", "id": "RL32948_2005Nov04", "date": "2005-11-04", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "Air Quality Issues and Animal Agriculture: A Primer", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20051104_RL32948_c63ed9ad5ceb0f5ec194ab9284e17a098994d176.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20051104_RL32948_c63ed9ad5ceb0f5ec194ab9284e17a098994d176.html" } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metacrs7792/", "id": "RL32948 2005-06-10", "date": "2005-06-10", "retrieved": "2005-11-18T11:10:49", "title": "Air Quality Issues and Animal Agriculture: A Primer", "summary": "This report focuses on the environmental quality of water resources as affected by animal agriculture, specifically animal waste, which can harm water quality through surface runoff, direct discharges, spills, and leaching into soil and groundwater. This report also discusses the contribution of emissions from animal feeding operations (AFO), enterprises where animals are raised in confinement, to air pollution.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20050610_RL32948_aafd5f9d445a6053614ed66e8034d55f7a8fef1f.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20050610_RL32948_aafd5f9d445a6053614ed66e8034d55f7a8fef1f.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Agriculture", "name": "Agriculture" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Air quality", "name": "Air quality" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Agricultural pollution", "name": "Agricultural pollution" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Air pollution", "name": "Air pollution" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Environmental protection", "name": "Environmental protection" } ] } ], "topics": [ "Environmental Policy" ] }