Act 38 of 2005 (also referred to as the Nutrient and Odor Management Act), placed the responsibility on the Pennsylvania State Conservation Commission to establish standards for developing and implementing effective odor management plans. This law requires the implementation of an approved odor management plan for all new Concentrated Animal Operations (CAO) and Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO) that build new or expand existing structures that house animals or store manure.
The Pennsylvania State Conservation Commission (SCC) adopted program standards under the same process it used to develop the nutrient management standards, the results of which are the Facility Odor Management regulations and the associated Odor Management Program Guidance.
The SCC directly administers the Facility Odor Management Program. The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA) implements the Odor Management Certification Program for odor management plan writers and plan reviewers in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania's Facility Odor Management Program is supported in education, outreach, technical assistance and other services through an agreement with the Penn State University College of Agricultural Sciences.
The Facility Odor Management regulations became effective on Feb. 27, 2009. CAOs and CAFOs that initiate construction activities on animal housing or manure storage facilities after that date need to develop and implement an Odor Management Plan approved by the SCC. The Odor Management Plan requires an evaluation of the site and operation characteristics to determine the potential for impacts on the neighboring community from the offsite migration of odors from the proposed facilities, and when applicable, also requires the implementation and operation of Odor Best Management Practices (BMPs) to control the potential impacts. The Pennsylvania Odor Site Index, developed by the SCC in cooperation with Penn State University, is a preferred method for evaluating the potential for impacts from the offsite migration of odors from proposed facilities.
Odor Management plans currently under review by the State Conservation Commission