Idaho DEQ proposes unusual plan to address field burning changes

An unusual legislative approach will be used to implement changes to Idaho’s crop residue burning program. Idaho Department of Environmental Quality officials say the changes are necessary to avoid a large reduction in the number of allowable field burning days in Idaho. The federal standard for ozone was tightened in October, which means the number of burn days in Idaho for farmers who use that tool to control diseases and pests and increase stand health would be reduced by a third to half under Idaho’s current crop residue burning program. To avoid that, DEQ has proposed loosening Idaho’s ozone standard to offset the tightening of the federal standard. That change must be included in Idaho’s state implementation plan — the state’s plan to comply with the Clean Air Act — which must be approved by the Environmental Protection Agency. However, it could take until 2018 for the EPA to approve Idaho’s SIP change. That leaves farmers in jeopardy of having their burn days drastically reduced in 2017.