The CFO team, representing industry, government and non-government organizations, was created 2005 to develop a plan to improve the management of air emissions from CFOs and to improve relationships between stakeholders. The team focussed on five priority substances (ammonia, hydrogen sulphide, volatile organics compounds, particulate matter and bioaerosols/pathogens) and one priority issue (odour) in developing the plan.

The Government of Alberta and industry will be implementing the team's recommendations over the next three years. Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development (AARD) will be monitoring the air around CFOs starting this year to determine the source and amount of emissions. There will also be further research into mechanisms used to manage emissions by government and industry. The team will reconvene at CASA in 2011 to review progress and make further recommendations.

According to team industry co-chair, Rients Palsma from Alberta Milk, "Industry will be developing a template to assist operators in managing emissions from their operations and will work closely with operators to address specific problem areas."

Ann Baran of Southern Alberta Environmental Group and the team's NGO co-chair, says, "These recommendations are an important first step in monitoring and managing emissions from CFOs. We look forward to improving relationships between all stakeholders - operators, neighbours and others.

Barb Shackel-Hardman, Branch Head at AARD and the team's government co-chair expressed that, "It is our hope that the commitment to this three year plan developed at CASA will result in a well coordinated approach to managing air emissions in the province. We expect to have a clearer picture in 2011 through these initial steps of monitoring emissions and exploring options."

The Clean Air Strategic Alliance is a multi-stakeholder partnership, comprised of representatives selected by industry, government and non-governmental organizations committed to developing and applying a comprehensive air quality management system for Alberta.

CASA Confined Feeding Operations Project Team

The CASA Board established the CFO project team in September 2005, to develop a strategic plan to improve the management of air emissions from existing and future CFOs in Alberta and to improve relationships between stakeholders. The team gathered information and developed a greater understanding of stakeholder concerns prior to reaching consensus on the following recommendations:

The CFO project team recommends that:

1. Development of a New Emissions Inventory: The Government of Alberta, led by Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, with support from Alberta Environment and advice from a multi-stakeholder group formed for this purpose, compile an inventory for CFO air emissions in Alberta based on the US EPA National Air Emissions Monitoring Study, with the inventory to be completed by March 31, 2011.
2. Source Apportionment: Alberta Environment, with support from Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development and the intensive livestock industry, conduct specific studies in areas with CFOs, using suitable source apportionment methods to estimate the contribution of CFO emissions of the five priority substances relative to other sources of these emissions. These studies are to be completed by December 31, 2010.
3. Monitoring for Ammonia, H(2)S, PM and VOCs - Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development:
   • Develop, with input from all stakeholders, an ambient monitoring plan for ammonia, hydrogen sulphide (H(2)S), particulate matter (PM) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to determine current ambient levels around CFOs. The plan will include timelines, budget, methodology (with reference to the Air Monitoring Directive), and responsibilities;
   • Undertake ambient air monitoring of ammonia, H(2)S, PM and VOCs around CFOs, based on the above plan, beginning in 2008; and
   • Submit a status report by March 31, 2009, with a final report on results to be submitted by March 31, 2010 to CFO project team stakeholders and the Alberta Ambient Air Quality Objectives Stakeholder Advisory Committee.

4. The 24-hour AQO for Ammonia: The Alberta Ambient Air Quality Objective Stakeholder Advisory Committee defer its decision on a 24-hour ambient objective for ammonia until April 2009, at which time the AAAQOSAC will determine if they have sufficient information from the ambient air monitoring study on which to base a decision.
5. Management Mechanisms Research Plan - Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development and the CFO industry develop a plan to submit to the Government of Alberta and research agencies for funding to do a study to quantify the reductions in priority emissions and odour, and any other benefits, from frequent manure removal, manure application, and moisture management.
6. Paper Study on Potential Management Mechanisms - Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development lead a paper study on the following five management mechanisms, to assess their potential to favourably affect emissions, ambient air quality, nutrient recovery, and other potential benefits, and report back to CFO project team stakeholders by March 31, 2009, at which time consideration will be given as to where the research might be applied.
   • Biocovers
   • Bottom loading
   • Shelterbelts
   • Composting
   • Dust palliatives

7. Odour Management Plan Template - The CFO industry develop an odour management plan template for use by operators in the intensive livestock industry. The plan will be based on economic feasibility, scientific evidence of odour reductions, and new technology, specifically best available technology economically achievable (BATEA), and will be ready for use by January 2009.
8. Managing Odour in Problem Areas - The CFO industry work with operators in problem areas to develop a site specific odour management plan. The Government of Alberta will provide resources (expertise, skills, knowledge) to assist with plan development and implementation. Problem areas will be identified using information from the NRCB and the industry. In working with operators, the industry and government may want to consider measuring odour around CFOs.
9. Improving Communications - The NRCB and Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development work with all involved parties to develop a plan by March 31, 2009 to improve communications and relationships among stakeholders regarding information related to CFOs. The following are areas where attention should be focused to improve communications and stakeholder relationships:
   • Alternative dispute resolution processes,
   • Communications between agencies and Government of Alberta departments, and
   • Communications between the NRCB and complainants.

10. Evaluating the Strategic Plan - The CFO team reconvene in January 2011 to:

    • review the implementation status and outcomes of recommendations made in this report,
    • assess the success of these activities, and
    • make any further recommendations, if needed, to reduce air emissions from CFOs in Alberta related to this strategic plan.

(1) Source: November 2004 Statement of Opportunity presented to the CASA Board; figures compiled by the Intensive Livestock Working Group.
(2) Point sources are stationary and the emissions released can be traced back to a single identifiable location. Non-point sources describe emissions from spatially diffuse and/or numerous sources that can only be measured or estimated using the accumulation of point sources. (3) The Government of Alberta is conducting extensive work and consultations to develop an integrated Land Use Framework for the province, and is looking at land use conflicts in detail.

Organization name: Clean Air Strategic Alliance
Contact Person: Sharon Hawrelak  Communications Manager
E-mail: communications@casahome.org
Phone: (780) 644-5203
Country: Canada