EPA Inspector General criticizes EPA over CAFO foot dragging

Why has it taken over a decade for EPA to come up with emission estimation methods for large animal feeding operations? EPA’s Inspector General (IG) claims EPA has not developed emission estimation methods (EEM) to determine whether concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs)comply with the Clean Air Act (CAA).The IG Report, while not receiving much publicity, will eventually impact animal feeding operations throughout the country. The report on September 19, 2017 is on EPA’s website at www.EPA.gov/oig. It is an opinion of the Inspector General and does not reflect EPA’s position.The IG determined EPA failed to follow through on a 2005 agreement with major livestock groups, which was to develop methods for estimating airborne emissions such as ammonia, particulate matter, hydrogen sulfide and volatile organic chemicals being emitted from CAFOs.Environmental groups have been using petitions to force regulation of ammonia, for example. Millions of dollars were spent by livestock groups and others to develop EEMs for “estimating emissions” from animal production facilities.EEMs are difficult to determine and consequently EPA has never set a timeline for completing its work. Even though this effort began in 2005 with an agreement, EPA has suggested that it will have a plan on how to estimate emissions from animal operations by the beginning of 2018.