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
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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
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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
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