f/EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
                  Fact Sheet
Office of Water
4303T
EPA-821-F-04-011
September 2004
                  Managing  Manure at Concentrated Animal
                  Feeding Operations

Summary
EPA is publishing technical guidance to help NPDESpermit authorities (States and EPA
Regions), permittees, and technical service providers implement EPA 's February 2003 revised
Permit Regulations and Effluent Guidelines for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations
(CAFOs). This document will help permit authorities write permits for CAFOs that incorporate
the revised effluent guidelines. It will also help operators of CAFOs meet these new limitations.
Background on CAFO Regulations

EPA published revised regulations for CAFOs
under the Clean Water Act on February 12,
2003. The rules established performance
expectations for existing and new sources to
ensure they store manure and wastewater
properly and expectations for proper land
application practices at the CAFO.

The rules apply to about 17,000 livestock
operations across the country. Under the rules
all large CAFOs are required to apply for a
permit, submit an annual report, and develop
and follow a plan for handling manure and
wastewater. In addition, the rules move
efforts forward to protect the environment by:
controlling land application of manure and
wastewater, covering all major animal
agriculture sectors, requiring all CAFOs to
apply for an NPDES permit, and increasing
public access to information through CAFO
annual reports.

Summary of the Technical Guidance

The guidance focuses on site-specific
requirements of the CAFO rules such as
adequate storage of process wastewater and
alternatives to setbacks for the land
                          application of manure. The guidance presents
                          many examples including land application rate
                          calculations, sampling methods, National
                          Nutrient Management Technical Standards for
                          land application, and case studies for the
                          voluntary alternative performance standards
                          program. Additional technical resources and
                          references addressed in the guidance include
                          Manure Management Planner, appropriateness
                          of winter spreading of manure, Phosphorus
                          Index and Erosion Loss control tools, and
                          USDA Comprehensive Nutrient Management
                          Plans.

                          Further Information

                          For additional information concerning this
                          action, you can contact Mr. Paul Shriner at (202)
                          566-1076 at the U.S. Environmental Protection
                          Agency, Office of Water, Engineering and
                          Analysis Division (4303T), 1200 Pennsylvania
                          Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. or you can send
                          an e-mail to shriner.paul@epa.gov. You can
                          view or download the complete text of the
                          guidance on the Internet at
                          www.epa.gov/guide/cafo.

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