This document was developed for the Proposed Mandatory GHG Reporting Rule. For the final document, please visit the final Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Rule. Guide for the Agriculture and Livestock Sectors Proposed Rule: Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Environmental Protection This document is intended to highlight key information about the proposed Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) rule for the agriculture and livestock sectors. For additional information about this proposed rule, please view the proposal itself and the general FAQs available at: www . epa. gov/climatechange/emissions/ghgrulemaking. html. For more information on the proposed reporting requirements for manure management systems, please view 40 CFR part 98, subpart JJ of the proposed rule and see the Manure Management information sheet. Would Emissions From Agricultural Sources Be Covered in the Rule? EPA is proposing to require reporting from facilities with manure management systems that have emissions equal to or greater than 25,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (mtCO2e) per year. No other GHG emission source associated with agriculture is proposed to be covered. The challenges to including other agricultural sources of GHGs in the rule are that available methods to estimate facility- level GHG emissions for these other sources yield uncertain results, and these sources are characterized by a large number of small emitters. In light of these challenges, EPA is not including other agricultural sources in the proposal because requiring reporting of GHG emissions from these sources at the facility level is impractical. Will Dairy or Beef Producers Be Required to Report on Annual Enteric Fermentation Emissions of Methane (i.e., Methane Emissions From the Natural Digestive Processes of Cattle)? No. The proposed rule would not require reporting of emissions of methane from ruminant animals via enteric fermentation. What Is a Manure Management System/Facility? A manure management system stabilizes or stores livestock manure in one or more of the following system components: • Uncovered anaerobic lagoons • Liquid/slurry systems • Storage pits • Digesters • Solid manure storage • Manure composting • Feedlots and other drylots • High-rise houses for poultry production • Other poultry production with litter • Deep bedding systems for cattle and swine Any of the above components occurring at the facility, as defined as follows, is included. June 2009 1 EPA-430-F-09-059 ------- This document was developed for the Proposed Mandatory GHG Reporting Rule. For the final document, please visit the final Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Rule. Facility means any physical property, plant, building, structure, source, or stationary equipment located on one or more contiguous or adjacent properties in actual physical contact or separated solely by a public roadway or other public right-of-way and under common ownership or common control, that emits or may emit any GHG. Operators of military installations may classify such installations as more than a single facility based on distinct and independent functional groupings within contiguous military properties. How Many Livestock Facilities Might Be Required to Report Emissions From Manure Management Systems? Manure management systems for livestock manure emitting equal to or greater than 25,000 mtCO2e per year would be required to report under this proposed rule. EPA's modeling of this emission source estimates that approximately 85 to 95 of the largest livestock facilities would be required to report at the 25,000 mtCO2e per year threshold level. Would Non-Livestock Farmers Have to Report Under this Rule? No. This proposal would not cover emission sources such as rice cultivation, field burning of agricultural residues, composting, and agricultural soils. As such, EPA expects that most non-livestock farmers would not be required to report. Please note, however, that just like any other facility, a very large farm with a source category covered by this rule, such as stationary combustion sources with emissions at or over the 25,000 mtCO2e per year, would still be required to report GHG emissions resulting from stationary combustion. To provide a sense of scale on this issue, 25,000 mtCO2e are equivalent to emissions from the annual energy use of about 2,200 homes. It is also equivalent to the emissions from the combustion of just over 58,000 barrels of oil, or 131 railcars of coal. For more information on thresholds for reporting for stationary combustion, please view 40 CFR part 98, subpart C of the proposed rule and see the Stationary Fuel Combustion Sources information sheet. How Does This Action Fit With Other Actions Taken by EPA That Relate to Livestock Agriculture? A number of ongoing data collection efforts unrelated to this proposed rule are occurring at facilities with manure management systems. EPA reviewed several of these programs, including the National Air Emissions Monitoring Study (NAEMS), the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), USDA's Census of Agriculture, the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), and a variety of voluntary GHG reporting programs. EPA determined that none of the programs collect all the information necessary to estimate farm-level GHG emissions from all the manure management systems that would be required to report at the proposed threshold. Does This Proposal Impose Tax or Other Levy on Beef Cattle or Dairy Producers? June 2009 2 EPA-430-F-09-059 ------- This document was developed for the Proposed Mandatory GHG Reporting Rule. For the final document, please visit the final Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Rule. No. This proposal would not impose fees or taxes on livestock or livestock producers or any other facility covered by this rule. This proposal would simply require reporting of GHG emissions from facilities with manure management systems that emit GHGs at a level equal to or over 25,000 mtCO2e per year. Which Livestock Facilities Would Have to Report Under the Proposal? Owners or operators are responsible for determining if a facility meets the reporting threshold of 25,000 mtCO2e per year. Under the proposal, if an owner or operator believes the facility might meet this threshold, he/she might need to conduct monthly sampling of manure and analyze emissions as described in 40 CFR part 98, subpart JJ of the proposed rule. As an alternative, EPA is also taking comment on the advantages and disadvantages of using screening tools such as a look-up table or computerized calculator to help owners or operators determine if they meet the reporting threshold. These tools could be developed to utilize easily available data such as the type of manure management system and average number of head. Screening devices, if utilized, could assist owners or operators in determining if they are near the threshold for reporting and therefore potentially avoiding costs incurred from monthly manure sampling and analysis. How Much Would Complying With the Reporting Requirements in the Proposal Cost? EPA estimates that the average cost to conduct the laboratory testing and do the emission calculations would be approximately $900 per facility. More information about the costs of testing can be found in the Regulatory Impact Analysis (EPA-HQ-OAR-2008-0509-002). What Is the Schedule for Reporting? Facilities would begin collecting data on January 1, 2010. The first emission report would be due on March 31, 2011, for emissions during 2010. Reports would be submitted annually. June 2009 3 EPA-430-F-09-059 ------- |