California Air Resources Board

The Dairy and Livestock Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Working Group (Working Group) formed three subgroups—Subgroup #1: Fostering Markets for Non-Digester Projects; Subgroup #2: Fostering Markets for Digester Projects; and Subgroup #3: Research Needs, Including Enteric Fermentation.  Each subgroup was tasked with developing policy recommendations in their specific areas.  To fulfill this goal, each subgroup held public meetings that included participation from dairy industry representatives, environmental justice advocates, public utilities, academia, and other interested stakeholders.  The subgroups provided final recommendations from all subgroups to the Working Group in November 2018.

Subgroup #1 was tasked with assembling a comprehensive overview and discussion of available non-digester methane emissions reduction project alternatives, covering emissions and emissions reduction opportunities for GHGs, criteria air pollutants, toxic air contaminants, and noxious pollutants.  Non-digester projects include dry manure managements strategies and pasture conversion. The subgroup was tasked with addressing the availability of incentive funding, the long-term financial viability of converting dairy manure management processes, and actions needed to further develop markets for soil amendments and other products. In each case, the subgroup was asked to identify barriers and recommendations for overcoming them.  The subgroup met at 11 public meetings in 2017–2018 and finalized the Subgroup #1 final recommendations to the Working Group in October 2018.

Subgroup #1 Mission Statement

Assemble a comprehensive overview and discussion of available non-digester methane emission reduction alternatives, covering each of the following:

• Emissions and potential emissions reduction opportunities for GHGs, criteria air pollutants, toxic air contaminants, and noxious pollutants;
• Actions needed to further develop markets for soil amendments and other products associated with the alternative manure management strategies;
• Availability of incentive funding for conversion to alternative manure management strategies;
• Long-term financial viability of conversion;
• Optimization strategies; and
• Barriers and recommendations for overcoming those barriers.

Subgroup #1 Members