v>EPA
                United States                        Office of Water                 EPA-821-F-01-015
                Environmental Protection                4303                       November 2001
                Agency
                Fact  Sheet
   Notice of Data Availability Concerning Proposed National Pollutant Discharge Elimination
   System Permit Regulation and Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards for
   Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations

   Summary
      On January 12, 2001, EPA published a proposal to revise and update two regulations that
      ensure manure, wastewater, and other process waters generated by concentrated animal
      feeding operations (CAFOs) do not impair water quality.
   •   Today's notice makes available for public review new data and information submitted to
      EPA during the public comment period,  including new data received from industry groups,
      the general public, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
   •   EPA is providing a two-month public comment period on this notice, following its
      publication in the Federal Register.

   Background
   •   CAFOs confine large numbers of animals,  and store wastewater and manure in a contained
      area for extended periods of time. CAFOs constitute a small share of all animal feeding
      operations (AFOs) in the livestock and poultry industries. The majority of AFOs are not
      CAFOs and, therefore, are not subject to the existing Federal regulations.
   •   Two existing interrelated regulations affect CAFOs, which were promulgated in the early
      1970s. The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) regulation defines
      which operations are CAFOs and establishes permit requirements. The Effluent Limitations
      Guidelines (ELG) establish  the technology-based effluent discharge standards for CAFOs.
   •   EPA's proposed revisions to these  regulations will reduce water quality discharges by
      strengthening the permitting requirements and performance standards for CAFOs.
   •   Affected industries include the major livestock and poultry industries, including cattle
      feedlots, dairy farms, hog operations, and poultry operations (farms that raise broilers and
      other meat-type chickens, turkeys,  and egg laying operations).  The proposed NPDES permit
      revisions also affect other types of animal confinement operations, such as farms that raise
      sheep/lambs, ducks, horses, and other animal species that are raised in confinement.
   •   By court order, EPA must take final action on the ELG regulations by December 15, 2002.
      EPA intends to finalize the NPDES permitting regulations at the same time as the effluent
      guidelines are finalized.

   About this Notice
   •   There are four main components to this notice related to EPA's proposed CAFO regulations.
      These include: (1) discussion of new data and changes EPA is  considering to refine its cost
      and economics model, (2) discussion of new data and changes EPA is considering to refine
      its nutrient loading and benefits analysis, (3) new data and changes EPA is considering to the
      proposed NPDES permit program regulations, and (4) new data and changes EPA is
      considering to the proposed ELG regulations.

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•  The notice also describes new analyses that may be performed by EPA and describes
   revisions that EPA is considering to its financial and engineering cost models, as well as new
   data or methodologies.
•  This notice discusses ways that EPA is considering to enhance flexibility for the use of State
   NPDES and non-NPDES CAFO programs, including options to encourage implementation
   of environmental management systems. The notice also describes  regulatory thresholds that
   are being considered for operations that raise ducks and horses, and addresses how cow/calf
   pairs could be counted.
•  The notice describes new information received by EPA on the proposed CAFO performance
   standards.

How to Get Additional Information
•  You can get additional information by contacting Renee Selinsky Johnson, Paul Shriner, or
   Karen Metchis at (202) 564-0766. You may also e-mail the above  contacts at
   johnson.renee@epa.gov, shriner.paul@epa.gov, and metchis.karen@epa.gov.
•  You can obtain a copy of this notice at: http ://www. epa. gov/ost/guide/cafo/ and
   http://www.epa.gov/npdes/afo/. You may also request a copy of this notice by mail by calling
   EPA's CAFO Hotline at (202) 564-0766.
•  You can submit comments on this notice at: CAFOS.comments@epa.gov.

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