5252 &EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency July 1980 Office of Water Enforcement EN-335 Agricultural Activities and Consolidated Permitting 800R80912 U.C, Environmental Protect'JH Agency. Region V, Library 230 South Dearborn Street Chicago, lliir.ois 60504 ------- Prelection The recently published Consolidated Permit Regulations will have an impact dVi persons involved in farming, ranching, and forestry activities. This pamphlet summarizes the activities subject to the permit requirements of these regulations. Generally, farming, forestry, and ranching activities do not require permits issued by EPA. In the following pages, there is a list of those instances when p'ermits are required under each permit program included in the Consoli.- dated Permit Regulations. Consolidated Permit Regulations cover National Pollu- tant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits, Resource, Conservation and Recovery (RCRA) permits, Dredge of Fill (404) permits, and Prevention of Signifi- cant Deterioration (PSD) permits. WHEN DO I NEED A PERMIT COVERED BY THE SECTION 404 PROGRAM? A section 404 permit is needed when dredge or fill material is discharged into waters of the U.S. These discharges are currently regulated by the Corps of Engineers under the "Section 404 program". In the near future it is likely that certain States will be authorized by EPA under Section 404 to manage their own dredge or fill permit programs which will replace the Corps of Engineers program in certain waters within that State. Some agricultural activities have been exempted from the program. The dredge or fill (Section 404) office in EPA will soon be coming out with a booklet on this program as it relates to agricultural activities. WHEN DO I NEED A PERMIT UNDER THE NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM (NPDES) PROGRAM? NPDES permits are required for the discharge of pollutants from any point source into waters of the U.S. Permits are required for the following agricul- tural activities: • The discharge of pollutants into waters of the U.S. through a man- made ditch, flushing system or other similar device from a concentrated animal feeding operation (e.g., 1,000 head of cattle); or feedlots with 300 or more animal units which discharge pollutants into waters passing through or coming into direct contact with animals in the confined area. • The discharge of pollutants into waters of the U.S., at least 30 days per year, from a concentrated aquatic animal production facility (e.g. production of more than 20,000 pounds of trout). • Aquaculture projects which use discharges of pollutants into a designated water area for the main- tenance or production of harvestable freshwater, estuarine, or marine plants or animals. • Discharges into waters of the U.S. from si 1 vicultural point source activities such as rock crushing, gravel washing, log sorting, or log storage facilities. WHEN DO I NEED A PERMIT UNDER THE RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND RECOVERY ACT (RCRA)? Permits are required for the treat- ment, storage and disposal of hazar- dous wastes. Some agricultural activities may require a RCRA permit. The following are the most likely to occur in agriculture: t Discharges of waste oil into waters of the U.S. e Disposal of waste pesticide con- tainers unless they are triple rinsed, using a solvent capable of removing the chemical product, and the rinse water is disposed on the farm, in accordance with the label. • Disposal of pesticide residues unless they are disposed on the farm in a manner consistent with the instructions on the pesticide label. WHEN DO I NEED A PERMIT FOR A WELL INJECTION COVERED BY THE UNDERGROUND INJECTION CONTROL (UIC) PROGRAM? There are presently no permit require- ments for the regulation of injection wells that are used typically in agri- culture. When a UIC program becomes effective in a State, the permitting authority will conduct an inventory and may seek information on wells in a State. WHEN DO I NEED A PERMIT UNDER THE PRE- VENTION OF SIGNIFICANT DETERIORATION (PSD) PROGRAM? Permits are needed for significant discharges resulting from a large grain elevator operation or a similar new facility which emits air pollutants (more than 250 tons per year) in an area which has met all national ambient sir quality standards. WHERE DO I GO TO OBTAIN A PERMIT AND ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION? Contact your * Regional EPA office for information on permit coverage. The District Engineer of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will be able to give you information relating to the discharge of dredge or fill material from agricultural ------- activities. Your county extension agent or the Soil Conservation Service will be available for technical assistance needed to complete an application for a permit. States are encouraged to operate their own permit program or programs. Your Regional EPA office will be able to tell you if there are programs operating in your State. On the back cover of this pamphlet there is a list of the Regional EPA offices and the States covered by each Region. If you wish further information and/or to be put on an EPA mailing list, you may write or call your EPA Regional office. If you have suggestions, questions or requests for further information, they may be directed to your nearest EPA Regional public information office EPA Region 1 .JFK Federal Bldg « Boston MA 02203 « Connec- ticut, Maine, Massachu- setts New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont • 617 223 7223 EPA Region 2 « 26 Federal Plaza • New York NY 10007. New Jersey, New York. Puer- to Rico, Virgin Islands • 212 264-2515 EPA Region 3* 6th and Walnut Streets « Philadelphia PA 19106 • Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, District of Columbia • 215-597-4081 EPA Region 4 • 345 Courtland Street NE « Atlanta GA 30308 . Alabama, Georgia Florida, Mississippi North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky • 404-881 3004 EPA Region 5 • 230 S Dearborn * Chicago IL 6O604. Illinois, Indiana Ohio, Michigan. Wiscon sin Minnesota • 312-353-2072 EPA Region 6. 1201 Elm Street* Dallas TX 75270 « Arkansas, Loui siana Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico • 214-767-2630 EPA Region 7 . 324 East 11th Street » Kansas City MO 64106 * Iowa Kansas Missouri Nebraska « 816 374-6201 EPA Region 8 . 1860 Lincoln Street « Denver CO 80295 • Col orado, Utah, Wyoming, Montana North Dakota, South Dakota • 303-837-3878 EPA Region 9. 215 Fremont Street • San Francisco CA 94105 • Arizona California, Hawaii, Nevada, Pacific Islands « 415-556-1840 EPA Region 10. 1200 Sixth Avenue • Seattle WA98101 .Alaska. Idaho. Oregon Washing- ton • 206-442-1203 ------- |