Air – Cinnabar – 1:30pm

Crop Residue Burning

Presenters: Mary Andersen and Melissa Gibbs, Idaho Department of Environmental Quality

Over the past year the State of Idaho has made huge strides in the area of smoke management. A new statewide crop residue burning program approved by the 2008 legislature began in Idaho on September 2, 2008. The new program, a culmination of more than a year’s work by growers, environmental groups, DEQ, the Idaho State Department of Agriculture (ISDA), and the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is designed to be protective of public health. This program replaces the program previously administered by ISDA and is applicable statewide (except on Indian reservations). Prior to implementing this program, the State of Idaho had much less authority and control over crop residue burning practices. Even though these new requirements do not mean the end of all smoke in Idaho, they certainly will help reduce the impacts from crop residue burning and ensure that public health is protected.

The new program has air quality requirements that must be met before a burn can be approved. These air quality requirements are for both short-term smoke impacts (one to two hours) and longer-term smoke impacts (one to two days). DEQ also evaluates the weather to make sure that all smoke will disperse with minimal impact to public health and safety, with special consideration for institutions with sensitive populations (e.g., hospitals and schools).

Tags: crop burning