t)ff ice of Wastewater ManagemenE
NPDES Regulations Governing Management
Of Concentrated Poultry Feeding Operations
NPDES and how it affects the maintenance and Why are some poultry feeding operations
operation of concentrated poultry feeding considered CAFOs. even though they are partially
operations. sheltered or temporarily housed?
NPDES stands for EPA's National Pollutant Discharge A totally enclosed facility with no discharge of wastes
Elimination System. The NPDES program provides a to U.S. waters is not a CAFO. However, a partially-
system for regulating the discharge of pollutants from sheltered facility IS a CAFO if it meets the size (number
"point" (or discreet) sources into the waters of the of birds) and discharge criteria of the NPDES
United States by allowing discharges only under regulations, or if it has been designated a CAFO on a
certain conditions specified by the permit. The NPDES case-by-case basis by the permitting authority. In the
program was established under the Amendments to case of some poultry rearing operations, such as
the Clean Water Act(CWA) of 1972. Section 502 of the turkeys housed in separate units on one facility, the
Act defined "concentrated animal feeding operations" entire operation is considered one unit and all the birds
(CAFOs) as point sources subject to regulation under are counted for the purposes of CAFO classification.
the Act. As a result, NPDES regulations were written
and published in 1976 defining CAFOs and the For example, a turkey operation with 60,000 birds with
conditions under which they are required to obtain an 10,000 birds each housed in six individual totally-
NPDES permit. enclosed facilities that collects its dry waste three times
a year and stores it in another completely closed
What are poultry CAFOs and how are they structure for later application to fields as fertilizer is
defined? not a CAFO, because there is no potential for the waste
to be discharged from the operation until it is applied
Basically, CAFOs are animal feeding operations (AFO) to the fields. This evaluation assumes that the wastes
that meet or exceed numbers of animals (according to are applied at accepted agronomic rates. If the waste
species) established for animal feeding operations. A is over-applied or applied in excessive frequencies, any
facility is considered to be an animal feeding operation resulting addition of pollutants to nearby waters would
if it stables, confines, feeds, or maintains animals for a be considered to be from a CAFO.
total of 45 days or more in any 12-month period, and
does not sustain crops, vegetation, forage growth, or Similarly, the stacking of dry poultry litter in a manner
post-harvested residues in the normal growing season tfjatexposes it to precipitation or runoff may produce
over any portion of the facility. Poultry feeding transport and entry of pollutants into nearby waters,
operations are considered to be CAFOs if they meet thii's rendering the system a crude type of liquid
these two criteria and, in addition, house more than manure system for process wastewater, and would be
55,000 turkeys, 100,000 laying hens or broilers on a subject to the NPDES regulations for CAFOs. These
continuous flow watering system; 30,000 laying hens facilities would be point sources under the NPDES
or broilers on a liquid manure system, or 5,000 ducks, program if the number of birds confined at the facility
i meets the regulatory definition as outlined in
Smaller poultry feeding operations are also considered paragraph 2, or if the facility has been designated a
to be CAFOs if they contain more than 16,500 turkeys, CAFO on an individual basis.
or 30,000 laying hens or broilers on a continuous ;'
watering system; 9,000 laying hens or broilers on a Why the sudden concern for poultry CAFOs?
liquid manure system; or 1,500 ducks, AND discharge £
their wastes into waters of the US. through man-made Concern over CAFOs is not new; degradation of
ditches, flushing systems, or similar devices, Q& ground and surface waters from nitrogen, phosphorus,
discharge their wastes directly into US. waters that and pathogens has increased over the years, and has
originate outside the facility and pass over, across, renewed interests from the poultry industry, the public,
around, or through the facility, or otherwise come into
contact with the birds confined. Areas of the CAFO
may include poultry watering systems; washing, '
cleaning, or flushing pens, and manure stacks or pits.
Areas where dust is produced are included because
the dust may be composed of particles of manure, litter,
or bedding and feedstuffs.
-------
and regulatory agencies as well. EPA's NPDES system
provides a means of addressing the problem by
regulating the discharge of pollutants from poultry
CAFOs by permit. This page lists some sources of
information you can obtain to help you understand a nd
interpret the NPDES regulations for poultry CAFOs.
Information from the Code of Federal
Regulations and citations in the FEDERAL
REGISTER can help you understand the
NPDES regulations applicable to CAFOs:
• Criteria for Determining a Concentrated
Animal Feeding Operation, 40 CFR Section
122, Appendix B (1992);
• Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations,
40 CFR Section 122.23 (1992);
• EPA Effluent Guidelines and Standards for
Feedlots, 40 CFR 412 (Revised through July I,
1991);
• National Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System and State Program Elements Necessary
for Participation: Concentrated Animal
Feeding Operations, 40 CFR 54182 (Nov. 20,
1975);
• State Program Elements Necessary for
Participation in the National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System: Concentrated Animal
Feeding Operations, 41 FR11458 (Mar. 18,
1976);
• National Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System General Permit Requirements for
Discharges from Concentrated Animal
Feeding Operations (Region 6 Final Notice),
58 FR 7610 (Feb. 8,1993).
In addition to these publications, don't forget to request
EPA's Guidance Manual on NPDES Regulations for
Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (EPA 833-B-95-
001, December, 1995) and EPA's other new Factsheets
on general application of NPDES regulations to CAFOs,
as well as species-specific Factsheets for other animal
industries.
FOR MORE INFORMATION. CONTACT:
Where Can I Go For More Information?
Additional information on NPDES regulations aftffecting
CAFOs can be obtained by contacting the Permits
Branch in your nearest EPA Regional Office:
EPA Region I (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VTT)
JFK Federal Building, Boston, MA 022033
(617) 565^940)
EPA Region II (NJ, NY, PR, VI)
26 Federal Plaza, New York, NY 10278 :
(212) 264-9894
EPA Region III PC, DE, MD, PA, VA, 1WV)
841 Chestnut Building, Philadelphia, PA\ 19107
(215) 597-9078
EPA Region IV (AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, N4Q SC,
TN)
345 Courtland Street, NE, Atlanta, GA 330365
(404) 347-2019
EPA Region V (IL, IN, MI, OH, MN, WTI)
230 West Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL 606044-3507
(312) 353-2079
EPA Region VI (AR, LA, OK, NM, TX)
1445 Ross Avenue, Dallas, TX 75202
(214) 655-7171
EPA Region VH (IA, KS, MO, NE)
726 Minnesota Avenue, Kansas City, KS 5 66101
(913) 551-7034
EPA Region VIII (CO, MT, ND, SD, UT,1, WY)
99918th Street, Denver, CO 80202-2413 i
(303) 293-1623
EPA Region IX (AS, AZ, CA, CMI, GU, HH, NV)
75 Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, CA v 94105
(415) 744-1877
EPA Region X (AK, ID, OR, WA)
1200 Sixth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98101
(206) 553-1728
Permitting:
Office of Wastewater Management
Permits Division (4203)
U.S. EPA
401M Street. SW
Washington, DC 20460
(202) 260-9537/FAX (202) 260-1460
Nonpoint Source:
Office of Wetlands, Oceans
and Watersheds
U.S. EPA
Fairchild Bldg.
499 South Capitol Street SW
Washington, DC 20024
(202) 260-7040/FAX (202) 260-7024
Compliance/Enforcemenht
Office of Enforcement anod
Compliance Assurance
U.S. EPA
Ariel Rios Bldg.
1200 Pennsylvania Ave.,
Washington, DC 20044
(202) 564-2280/FAX (202) 5664-0028
------- |