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UPDATE ON ENGINEERING

TSSA MANDATES & YOUR
TRANSFER SYSTEM
In 2015, TSSA released mandates that included specific
requirements for natural gas or propane heating appliances When designing a new building or retrofitting an existing
installed in livestock and poultry barns that vent their products facility, there are numerous aspects to consider in the
of combustion into the barn space . Originally released with a planning of your barn. One of the many areas, and the one
January 1, 2016, deadline for compliance, the mandate deadline that would be essential to your operation, is the nutrient
was retracted to allow Farm Owners to take the necessary steps management and how you plan on handling the transfer
to ensure compliance. and storage of these nutrients.
The most recent amendment to this mandate referenced as Incorporating manure management strategies in the
“Gaseous Fuels Code Adoption Document (FS-225-17, dated planning stage can pay dividends to an operation’s long-
April 10, 2017, effective July 1, 2017)” regulates that these term bottom line as nutrient management plays an
unvented heaters are interlocked with the ventilation system or if important role in the entire dairy operation.
not interlocked, a proper ventilation is confirmed by calculations Various aspects can affect your manure management,
prominently displayed in the entrance area to each building including type of bedding, access to water, reuse or
housing livestock or poultry. application of manure, and how the manure will be
Within this amended mandate, new deadlines were announced collected for your facility. Many options exist to collect
for TSSA calculations to be completed for facilities with heaters manure including alley scrapers, a flush system, slatted
installed prior to October 1, 2014, as follows:
(a) by July 1, 2019, when total building area housing livestock or STONECREST ANNUAL 2017
poultry on the premise is over 25,000 square feet;
(b) by July 1, 2021 when total building area housing livestock or
poultry on the premise is up to and including 25,000 square feet.
These calculations must be verified by a licensed professional
engineer, licensed engineering technologist or other limited
license holders, pursuant to the Professional Engineers Act. Once
these calculations have been completed, Stonecrest Engineering
recommends a site visit to verify the equipment in support
of the required calculations. This is to verify that the minimum
ventilation rate of the barn (mechanical or natural ventilation)
when the heaters are operating is not less than 300 CFM / 100,000
BTUH (0.003 CFM/BTUH) of heaters input; and to ensure the
maximum input of the heating appliances does not exceed 20
BTUH/FT3 of the space in which the appliance is located.
Ensuring compliance with the TSSA mandate now will ensure you
continue to receive uninterrupted delivery of fuel.

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