Road Dust Control

Posts Tagged ‘volatile organic compounds’

Agriculture producers seeking to reduce PM10 (dust) and volatile organic compounds can apply for assistance from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

NRCS has $1.8 million in Arizona along with technical expertise available to farmers and ranchers to improve air quality.

Applications are taken on a continuous basis. Feb. 26 is the deadline to apply for the current funding.

Approved applicants will receive up to 75 percent of the project paid; up to 90 percent if the applicant is from a historically underserved group.

Seven counties are eligible in Arizona, areas identified as non-attainment areas by the Environmental Protection Agency. Farmers and ranchers in Cochise, Gila, Maricopa, Pima, Pinal, Santa Cruz, and Yuma counties are eligible.

Conservation practices included in the program include: anaerobic digesters; feedlot and dairy dust control; tillage and harvest dust control; dirt road dust control; gravel pad track out systems; and grizzly track-out device systems.

Emissions reductions equivalent to removing 153,000 cars from California highways

Results are in from the first year of a new air quality program for farmers: 2,523 applications were submitted for the program to clear Central Valley skies by offering incentives to retire old inefficient engines and adopt cultural practices to improve air quality. The $22.6 million made available this year through USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service in California was able to fund 586 applications. Preliminary calculations suggest that the effect these farmers will make will be an emissions reduction equivalent to removing 153,000 vehicles from California highways.

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