Module 9: Emergency Action Plans

Module 9: Emergency Action Plans By Jeff Lorimor, Bob von Bernuth, and Nanda Joshi

Goal The goal of this module is to create aware-ness among CAFO Owners/Operators of the need to have a functional Emergency Action Plan in place for their operations. Certified Nutrient Management Planning

Objectives • The main objectives of this module are to assist CAFO Owner/Operators with: • Recognizing the need for developing an Emergency Action Plan. • Identifying the steps involved in reporting and responding to a manure spill. Certified Nutrient Management Planning

Objectives (continued) • Identifying activities related to their manure management system that lead to an increased environmental or human health risk. • Being prepared to develop an emergency action plan for their facility. Certified Nutrient Management Planning

Contents • Accident plans • Worker first aid training • Spill plans • Be prepared for emergencies • Types of emergencies • Emergency spill plan • Anticipation and prevention Certified Nutrient Management Planning

Contents (continued) • Be prepared for emergencies (continued) • Prearranged emergency response agreements • Location of prearranged emergency supply equipment and supplies • Post-emergency assessment and documentation • Documentation of clean-up efforts • Emergency phone numbers Certified Nutrient Management Planning

Contents (continued) • Periodic self-inspection of manure management system • What to look for in an inspection • Fixing potential problems Certified Nutrient Management Planning

What is an Emergency Action Plan? • An emergency action plan is a common-sense plan to help producers/farmers andtheir employees make the right decisionsduring an emergency. Such plans should include the following sections: • Site Plan: Maps and descriptions of the production sites, nearby water resources, and land application areas Certified Nutrient Management Planning

What is an Emergency Action Plan? (continued) • Emergency Contact Information: A list of contact names and numbers included with the plan and posted near the phone • Action Plan: A plan of action to prevent the release of manure and prevent environmental contamination Certified Nutrient Management Planning

1. Site Plan • Written Site Plan: Detailed description of the animal production facility site and land application areas • Detail Map–“Close up” of buildings and nearby facilities including: • Entrances and exits from each building • First aid kit and fire extinguisher location(s) • Manure storage facility details (access, valves, pumps, switches) Certified Nutrient Management Planning

1. Site Plan (continued) • Detail Map (continued) • Wells, water lines, and water valves for each building and farmstead • Electrical service boxes (both inside and outside) of each building • Gas lines and/or propane tanks • Valves • Services for each building • Tile lines in and near the farmstead–especially surface inlets • Location of all emergency equipment Certified Nutrient Management Planning

1. Site Plan (continued) • Overall Maps–Should show land application areas and nearby water resources including: • All land application areas normally used • Property boundaries • Emergency land application areas (should be nearby and usable all year) • Tile lines, surface inlets, and outlet location Certified Nutrient Management Planning

1. Site Plan (continued) • Overall Maps (continued) • Nearby water resources to protect (creeks, streams, rivers, wetlands, and lakes) • Drainage ways and potential locations of emergency berms to stop uncontrolled flow Certified Nutrient Management Planning

2. Emergency Contact Information • The names and phone numbers should include anyone who might be able to help in the event of an emergency. • Facility address and location (including 911 address) • Physical directions to the facility, (i.e., 3 miles west of “town” on County D3 and ½ mile north) • Local sheriff Certified Nutrient Management Planning

2. Emergency Contact Information (continued) • Local fire department • Doctor • Poison control center • Regulating environmental agency (including their emergency 24-hour number) Certified Nutrient Management Planning

2. Emergency Contact Information (continued) • Should include anyone who might help • All nearby neighbors and useful equipment they have (tractors, trucks, tankers, etc.) • All nearby construction companies and equipment they have (pumps, hoses, bulldozers, skid loaders, etc.) • All nearby commercial manure applicators with manure handling equipment • Perhaps local elevator with trucks and skid loaders Certified Nutrient Management Planning

2. Emergency Contact Information (continued) • This list should be posted next to the telephone so that even a stranger could make emergency calls if necessary. A copy should also be maintained in your Emergency Action Plan file. • If you employ Hispanic workers, the list should be in Spanish as well as English. Certified Nutrient Management Planning

3. Action Plan Initiated immediatelywhen manure or other wastes from your operation are leaking, overflowing, or running off the site. Do not wait until manure or wastewater reaches a stream or leaves your propertyto acknowledge that you have a problem; make every effort to ensure that this situationdoes not happen. Certified Nutrient Management Planning

3. Action Plan (continued) Your Emergency Action Plan should be available to all employees, and they should be trained in its use because accidents, overflows, leaks, and breaks can happen at any time. Certified Nutrient Management Planning

3. Action Plan (continued) Enact your Emergency Action Plan as follows: • Eliminate the source. • If possible, contain the spill. • Assess the extent of the spill and note any obvious damage. • Notify the appropriate agencies. • Clean up the spill and make repairs. • Prepare and submit a summary report. Certified Nutrient Management Planning

3. Action Plan (continued) Types of Emergencies Your emergency action plan should outline responses based on the type of emergency. These responses can be grouped by thefollowing three types of emergencies: • Pollution in progress • Imminent pollution or emergency • Pollution discovered after the fact Certified Nutrient Management Planning

Pollution in Progress • The two most important things to do if you discover pollution in progress are to: • Stop the leak. • Contain the spill. Certified Nutrient Management Planning

Pollution in Progress (continued) • Leaking or broken pipe, pit wall, or lagoon berm: • Determine where the leak or breach is occurring. • Stop the flow into the pipe, pit, or lagoon. • Prevent additional leaking of material by • Stopping all recycle or flushing pumps. Certified Nutrient Management Planning

Pollution in Progress (continued) Leaking or broken pipe, pit wall, or lagoon berm: (continued) • Prevent additional leaking of material by (continued) • Stopping irrigation pumps. • Closing valves. • Opening valves or pipes to prevent siphons. • If necessary, crushing pipes to stop (or slow) a flow. Certified Nutrient Management Planning

Pollution in Progress (continued) Leaking or broken pipe, pit wall, or lagoon berm: (continued) • Prevent liquid from reaching nearby waterways. • Dig a holding area or construct a berm to capture and contain escaped waste waters. • Protect any tile line surface inlet by placing a pipe in it and mounding dirt or filling with bentonite. Certified Nutrient Management Planning

Pollution in Progress (continued) Leaking or broken pipe, pit wall, or lagoon berm: (continued) • Prevent liquid from reaching nearby waterways. (continued) • If liquids are getting into tile lines, block the tile line inlet or outlet. • Remove any released and recaptured liquid by pumping or hauling to land application areas. Certified Nutrient Management Planning

Pollution in Progress (continued) Tank spreader leak or overturn: If present,human injuries take precedence over other responses. Next, limiting the environmental impact of this emergency becomes the main goal. • If possible, stop the additional spill of material. • If along state or county roads, contact the appropriate transportation department. Certified Nutrient Management Planning

Pollution in Progress (continued) Tank spreader leak or overturn: (continued) • Contain the material that has spilled with earth berms, sandbags, and dug holding areas. • Begin clean-up procedures; remove and land apply captured liquids. • Check for tile line surface inlets and protect any that may be present. Certified Nutrient Management Planning

Pollution in Progress (continued) • Runoff from land application • Immediately stop applying. • Determine the cause of runoff loss (over-applying, unexpected precipitation, not applying on contour, etc.). • Protect tile surface inlets by mounding dirt. Certified Nutrient Management Planning

Pollution in Progress (continued) Runoff from land application (continued) • If feasible, dig a holding area or construct a berm to capture and contain escaped wastewaters. • If liquids are getting into tile lines, block the tile line outlets. • Remove recaptured liquid by pumping and hauling to other areas. • If possible, incorporate surface-applied manure. Certified Nutrient Management Planning

Imminent Pollution or Emergency • Storage capacity about to be exceeded: Long periods of excessive rain or malfunctioning animal water systems may cause your storage to un-expectedly reach capacity. You must attempt to prevent the release of wastes. Suggested responses are as follows: • Stop (or minimize) all additional flow (waterers, flushing water, etc.) into the storage. Certified Nutrient Management Planning

Imminent Pollution or Emergency (continued) Storage capacity about to be exceeded: (continued) • Prevent surface water from entering the storage. • Begin a planned emergency utilization of manure by applying it to fields at acceptable rates. • Add soil to the berm to repair low areas (Raising berm height requires prior approval from your regulating agency.). Certified Nutrient Management Planning

Imminent Pollution or Emergency (continued) Potential runoff from an application field: This situation could result from unexpected rains during or immediately after field application of manure or from over-application of liquid manure. Prevent the release of wastes to neighboring areas. Possible solutions include: • Stop additional manure application. • Contain manure by creating temporary diversions or berms. Certified Nutrient Management Planning

Imminent Pollution or Emergency (continued) Potential runoff from an application field: (continued) • Prevent further runoff by incorporating the manure and/or reducing application rates. • Apply on the contour rather than up and down the slope. • To allow a larger buffer area, stay further back from water resources. Certified Nutrient Management Planning

Imminent Pollution or Emergency (continued) Flooding: Before floodwaters begin to rise, consider the following: • Will the farm be isolated if certain access roads are flooded? • How many days of protected feed are on the farm? • How could animals be evacuated from the farm? Certified Nutrient Management Planning

Imminent Pollution or Emergency (continued) Flooding: (continued) • How will animal mortalities be managed? If burial is the preferred option, is an upland site dedicated to that purpose? • Which of the following items are at a higher risk from flooding–buildings, manure storage, feed storage, or mortality disposal sites? Certified Nutrient Management Planning

Imminent Pollution or Emergency (continued) • Catastrophic animal loss: One of the most devastating emergencies on a farm is the catastrophic loss of animals. Floods, tornadoes, power loss, and manure gas buildup in buildings can all result in significant loss of animals. Con-sider the following questions: • What is your greatest risk for catastrophic animal losses? Certified Nutrient Management Planning

Imminent Pollution or Emergency (continued) Catastrophic animal loss: (continued) • How will animals be removed from production houses? • What disposal options do you have? • Does your state veterinarian or contractor have to approve the disposal method? • Do you have an appropriate site for burying or composting animals? Certified Nutrient Management Planning

Spill Kit • Consider making (and having on hand at all times) a spill kit that includes the following: • Shovels (2 or more) • PVC pipe or buckets with the bottoms removed (to put over tile risers) • Bentonite • Roll of 6-mil plastic • Hay bales • Tools (pliers, hammers, etc) • Plywood (to close culvert openings) Certified Nutrient Management Planning

Pollution Discovered After the Fact Because the discovery was delayed, the environ-mental impact may be increased. This can occur from mechanical failures as well as from runoff from previously applied manure. To minimize the damage, respond quickly by: • Stopping additional leakage or manure application. • Containing spilled wastes by creating berms, containment basins, or small dams across waterways. Certified Nutrient Management Planning

Pollution Discovered After the Fact (continued) • Protecting tile line surface inlets. • Applying spilled wastes on nearby cropland. • Notifying agencies and local authorities. Do NOT flush the spill away with water. Certified Nutrient Management Planning

Post-Spill Assessment and Reporting In addition to providing information to your regulating agency, you should keep a detailed record of a spill and how you responded to it. This record could be useful in the event of legal action and help prevent similar occurrences inthe future. Certified Nutrient Management Planning

Post-Spill Assessment and Reporting (continued) • Assess the extent of the spill and note any obvious damages. • Did the spill reach surface waters, wetlands, tile drains, or wells? • How much manure was released and for what duration? • Did you note any employee injury, fish kills, or property damage? Certified Nutrient Management Planning

Post-Spill Assessment and Reporting (continued) • Response to spill • When, where, and how was the spill contained? • What measures were taken to avoid additional contamination and threat to the environment or human health? • Did anyone or any local group assist in the cleanup? Certified Nutrient Management Planning

Post-Spill Assessment and Reporting (continued) • Response to spill (continued) • Was a technical specialist (NRCS, Conservation District, or engineer) consulted? What corrective actions are necessary to repair any damageto your storage structure, manure transfer, or application equipment? Certified Nutrient Management Planning

Post-Spill Assessment and Reporting (continued) • Cause of the spill • Can you determine the cause of the spill or discharge? • If appropriate, were signs of the impending spill present before the accident occurred? Certified Nutrient Management Planning

Post-Spill Assessment and Reporting (continued) Many state environmental agencies have deadlines for reporting spills. Contact the appropriate agencies. When were local and state agencies contacted (record the day, hour, and minute), notifying them of the spill? Did state or local representatives give you any “special” instructions?

Post-Spill Assessment and Reporting (continued) • (continued) • Did a representative of the state water quality agency or health department respond to the notification? List names, titles, and agencies. Certified Nutrient Management Planning

Summary • An emergency action plan will help you be prepared in the event of an accidental release. In almost all situations, the actions needed are similar: stop the spill, contain the spill, and contact someone. • Being prepared reduces the risk of environ-mental pollution and legal action. Certified Nutrient Management Planning

Module 9: Emergency Action Plans