Ammonia Emissions, The Next Great Environmental Threat

Ammonia emissions are a growing concern worldwide as a result of their environmental impact through increased nitrogen deposits. A notable contributor to ammonia emissions are livestock operations. Understanding the science and good production practices associated with the livestock industry are key in developing the best approach to addressing emissions concerns. Three key areas to on focus on at the operational level are nutrition, genetics, and waste management. Good production practices can be implemented to assist in mitigating emissions in each of these categories. Given the concerns over ammonia emissions, there are many options for regulatory mechanisms to address such concerns. Several federal environmental statutes have the potential to address ammonia emissions, including the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability ACT (CERCLA), and the Clean Air Act (CAA). This thesis presents an analysis of both the benefits and drawbacks of utilizing existing statutes. Alternatively, it presents an incentive-based program that can be developed to address ammonia emissions in a manner that achieves beneficial outcomes for the livestock industry and the environment.