The California Poultry Federation is working with the National Turkey Federation and US Poultry and Egg on several fronts to help soften the impact of court-mandated reporting of air emissions that could begin as soon as Jan 22. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia has ruled that CERCLA (Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act) requires farmers to report the release of low levels of ammonia off-gassed from the natural breakdown of manure. EPA had agreed with farmers that the natural ammonia emissions were not the intention of the 1980 Superfund rule meant to alert local emergency first responders to onsite hazards.
Though the court had indicated in its rulings that reporting would begin Jan 22, the final mandate has not been issued. The CPF has been advised by the NTF and US Poultry that growers should not report until the court issues the mandate confirming the deadline. Meanwhile, nationally, the poultry lobby is continuing to push Congress for an immediate farm exemption within the short-term authority of the upcoming government spending bill, as well as crafting a legislative exemption into law that is permanent, although that would take more time to receive approval from Congress.