EnProtect Agency OFFICE OF WASTEWATER
MANAGEMENT
United States Office of Water (4203)
Environmental Protection Washington, DC 20460 EPA-83 3 -F-99-019
Agency www. epa. gov/water August 1999
DRAFT GUIDANCE MANUAL AND EXAMPLE NPDES PERMIT FOR
CONCENTRATED ANIMAL FEEDING OPERATIONS
Transmittal Memo [PDF] - 6K
Draft Guidance Manual and Example NPDES Permit
for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations [PDF] - 548K
The draft "Guidance Manual and Example NPDES Permit for Concentrated
Animal Feeding Operations" are among the key actions of the USDA-EPA
Unified National Strategy for Animal Feeding Operations. Once finalized, they
will provide EPA and state permit writers with a framework for issuing NPDES
permits to concentrated animal feeding operations.
Background
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA)-Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) Unified National Strategy for Animal Feeding Operations (AFO Strategy),
announced on March 9, 1999, is a key action of the President's Clean Water
Action Plan. The AFO Strategy sets forth a range of flexible, common-sense
actions to minimize the water quality and public health impacts of animal
feeding operations, while ensuring the long-term sustainability of livestock
production in the United States. The Strategy reflects extensive public comment,
including eleven public listening sessions around the country.
USDA and EPA estimate that 95 percent of the 450,000 animal feeding
operations will be encouraged to implement voluntary comprehensive nutrient
management plans under the AFO Strategy. An estimated 15,000 to 20,000
concentrated animal feeding operations will be required to develop
comprehensive nutrient management plans as part of National Pollution
Discharge and Elimination System (NPDES) permits. Approximately 2,000
permits have currently been issued for concentrated animal feeding operations.
Concentrated animal feeding operations generally include the largest facilities
(those with 1,000 or more animal units), facilities with unacceptable conditions
such as direct discharge into waterways, and facilities that are significant
contributors to water quality impairment.
In an effort to facilitate and improve implementation of the NPDES permitting
program for concentrated animal feeding operations consistent with existing
regulations, EPA has published this draft guidance manual and example permit.
EPA will continue to provide opportunities for interested parties to offer
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comments on our draft guidance documents and future proposed regulations.
Draft Guidance Manual
A key objective of the USDA-EPA Unified National Strategy and this draft
guidance is to accelerate issuance of NPDES permits for large concentrated
animal feeding operations (e.g. operations with greater than 1,000 animal units)
by January 2000. The guidance is intended to aid state and EPA regional
permitting authorities in meeting this goal. In addition, the guidance provides
information on:
Which facilities need to apply for an NPDES permit
The key elements of an NPDES permit for concentrated animal feeding
operations
The relationship between NPDES permits and comprehensive nutrient
management plans
The types of NPDES permits that may be issued to concentrated animal
feeding operations
Public notice requirements
Co-permitting of corporate entities that exercise substantial operational
control over a concentrated animal feeding operation
Land application of manure and wastewater
Monitoring and reporting requirements.
Example NPDES Permit
EPA has prepared a draft example permit for state and EPA regional permitting
authorities to use as a basis for both individual and general NPDES permits for
concentrated animal feeding operations. The example permit demonstrates and
provides additional information about how the guidance should be implemented.
Public Review and Comment
EPA is providing the draft guidance manual and example permit for public
review during a 60-day comment period. A notice of availability will be
published in the Federal Register to this affect. Interested parties are requested
to send their comments to Gregory Beatty via email at beatty. gregory@epa. gov
or fax at 202.260.1460, or postal mail at:
401 M Street, SW
Mail Code 4203, Room 2304 NEM
Washington, D.C. 20460.
Copies of the Draft Guidance Manual and Example NPDES Permit for
Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations may be obtained at
http ://www. epa. gov/npdes/afo on the Internet. If you need a paper copy
of the draft guidance, please call EPA's Water Resource Center at (202) 260-7786.
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