Carcass Management During a Mass Animal Health Emergency
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United States Department of Agriculture Carcass Management Marketing and Regulatory During a Mass Animal Programs Animal and Plant Health Health Emergency Inspection Service Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement—December 2015 Carcass Management During a Mass Animal Health Emergency Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement—December 2015 Agency Contact: Lori P. Miller Senior Staff Officer National Center for Animal Health Emergency Management Veterinary Services Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service U.S. Department of Agriculture 4700 River Road, Unit 41 Riverdale, MD 20737–1238 Non-Discrimination Policy The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination against its customers, employees, and applicants for employment on the bases of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genetic information in employment or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the Department. (Not all prohibited bases will apply to all programs and/or employment activities.) To File an Employment Complaint If you wish to file an employment complaint, you must contact your agency's EEO Counselor (PDF) within 45 days of the date of the alleged discriminatory act, event, or in the case of a personnel action. Additional information can be found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_file.html. To File a Program Complaint If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form (PDF), found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, or at any USDA office, or call (866) 632-9992 to request the form. You may also write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter to us by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250–9410, by fax (202) 690–7442 or email at [email protected]. Persons With Disabilities Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have speech disabilities and you wish to file either an EEO or program complaint please contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877- 8339 or (800) 845-6136 (in Spanish). Persons with disabilities who wish to file a program complaint, please see information above on how to contact us by mail directly or by email. If you require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) please contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720–2600 (voice and TDD). Mention of companies or commercial products in this report does not imply recommendation or endorsement by USDA over others not mentioned. USDA neither guarantees nor warrants the standard of any product mentioned. Product names are mentioned to report factually on available data and to provide specific information. This publication reports research involving pesticides. All uses of pesticides must be registered by appropriate State and/or Federal agencies before they can be recommended. CAUTION: Pesticides can be injurious to humans, domestic animals, desirable plants, and fish and other wildlife—if they are not handled or applied properly. Use all pesticides selectively and carefully. Follow recommended label practices for the use and disposal of pesticides and pesticide containers. Table of Contents Executive Summary ............................................................................................. v I. Purpose and Need ............................................................................................ 1 A. Purpose and Need for Alternative Actions ................................................... 2 B. Mass Animal Health Emergency Scenarios ................................................. 4 C. Purpose of this Environmental Impact Statement ........................................ 6 D. Scope of this Environmental Impact Statement ........................................... 7 E. Authority to Take Action ............................................................................... 8 II. Alternatives ..................................................................................................... 11 A. Description of Alternatives .......................................................................... 11 1. No Action Alternative ............................................................................. 11 2. Standard Procedures Alternative .......................................................... 12 3. Adaptive Management Alternative (Preferred Alternative) .................... 12 B. Components of Carcass Management Alternatives ................................... 13 1. Disposal Options ................................................................................... 14 2. Transportation ....................................................................................... 20 3. Decontamination ................................................................................... 20 III. Affected Environment .................................................................................... 23 A. U.S. Livestock Production and Inventories ................................................ 23 1. Cattle ..................................................................................................... 24 2. Sheep, Lambs, and Goats..................................................................... 26 3. Swine ..................................................................................................... 28 4. Poultry ................................................................................................... 28 B. Livestock Mortality and Carcass Management........................................... 29 1. Natural Disasters................................................................................... 30 2. Livestock Disease Issues ...................................................................... 35 3. Chemical Issues .................................................................................... 38 4. Radiological Issues ............................................................................... 40 5. Euthanasia ............................................................................................ 41 6. Carcass Management Options ............................................................. 42 C. Environmental Resources .......................................................................... 58 1. Land Cover and Land Use .................................................................... 59 2. Soil Quality ............................................................................................ 59 3. Air Quality .............................................................................................. 60 4. Water Quality ......................................................................................... 61 5. Vegetation .............................................................................................. 63 6. Wildlife ................................................................................................... 64 D. Human Health and Safety .......................................................................... 65 E. Climate Change .......................................................................................... 68 IV. Potential Environmental Impacts .................................................................. 71 A. Adaptive Management Alternative .............................................................. 72 B. Soil Quality .................................................................................................. 72 1. No Action Alternative ............................................................................. 72 2. Standard Procedures Alternative ........................................................... 74 3. Impacts Common to All Alternatives ...................................................... 77 C. Air Quality ................................................................................................... 77 1. No Action Alternative ............................................................................. 77 2. Standard Procedures Alternative ........................................................... 79 D. Water Quality .............................................................................................. 81 1. No Action Alternative ............................................................................. 81 2. Standard Procedures Alternative ........................................................... 83 Table of Contents i. E. Vegetation ........................................................................................................ 85 1. No Action Alternative ................................................................................. 85 2. Standard Procedures Alternative .............................................................. 87 3. Executive Order 13112: Invasive Species ............................................... 87 F. Humans ............................................................................................................ 87 1. Health and Safety....................................................................................... 87 2. Executive Order