Manure Spill Response and Prevention
Liquid Manure Storage Facilities: Spill Response and Prevention |
| WHAT TO DO IN CASE OF A MANURE SPILL |
 |
| Important steps to take in response to a manure spill: |
|
 For further details please view the Emergency Action Plan (PDF - 109 KB), prepared by Mike Hunter. |
| EMERGENCY ACTION PLANS |
|
| The first line of defense against manure spills is to have an Emergency Action Plan. The plan should be discussed ahead of time with all farm employees so that every employee knows his/her role and the steps to take in the event of a manure spill. Contractors, equipment suppliers and local authorities should also be informed of the plan. Post the plan where all employees can see it, and practice implementing it at least once a year. |
| Other resources with information about developing emergency action plans: |
|
| SPILL PREVENTION AND APPLICABLE STANDARDS |
|
| Manure storages must be properly designed, constructed and maintained according to established standards to ensure the stability and safety of the facility. All manure storages need to be inspected periodically for cracks, leaks and other signs of failure. This is especially true for earthen storages which were not professionally designed. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service has standards for the construction, operation and maintenance of manure storages on-line in their electronic Field Office Technical Guide (click on the state then the county, then select Section IV of the eFOTG, then one of the standards below). |
| Applicable conservation practice standards in New York include: |
|
| Applicable conservation practice guidelines in New York include: |
|
| Further information about the evaluation of undesigned earthen manure pits may be found in Shape Up Your Storage (PDF - 97 KB), by Peter Wright. |
| A self-assessment guide for farm owners to evaluate the safety of their manure storage/digester system has been developed by Nellie Brown (Cornell University ILR). |
| The USDA-NRCS Agricultural Waste Management Field Handbook also contains a wealth of information on the planning of manure management systems, including chapters on the siting and design of manure storage structures. |
| EDUCATION and TRAINING RESOURCES |
|
| Agricultural Environmental Management: Provides one-on-one help to farmers to identify and correct environmental risks on farms and prevent future problems. Contact: Jeff Ten Eyck (jeff.teneyck@agmkt.state.ny.us) Ph:
|
| ADDITIONAL RESOURCES |
|
| Locally-led Education and Action for Protecting the Environment (LEAPE): An educational program for local governments interested in protecting water resources in communities. Contact: Deb Grantham (dgg3@cornell.edu) Ph: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC): (click on subject, then non-point source (NPS) pollution.) Partners with many agencies to prevent or control polluted run-off from a wide range of sources. Contact: Gerry Chartier, Ph: |
| GENERAL INFORMATION ON MANURE STORAGE AND SAFETY |
|
Reasons for Manure Storage (PDF - 32KB) - CCE Lewis County |
| Hydrogen Sulfide in Manure Handling Systems: Health & Safety Issues |
Lessons 20 – 24 of the Livestock and Poultry Environmental Stewardship Curriculum can be accessed from the website of the Cornell Manure Management Program |
| The American Association of Agricultural and Biological Engineers posts their standards. Engineering Practice EP393, Manure Storage, covers design loads and structural specifications. |
| Natural Resource, Agriculture and Engineering Service publications: |
|