U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has finalized the revisions to the National Pollutant Discharge Eliminations System (NPDES) and Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards (ELG) for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs). This bulletin will help you as a producer to decide if you need to apply for a permit or a “no discharge certification.” The compliance deadline for this information is February 27, 2009.
Do you need to apply for a permit?
Ask yourself these questions:
1. Does the number of animals in my operation fall into the Medium, or Large size category in the Animal Feeding Operations table (Table 1)?
2. Do I have a discharge from my operation? Do I have a system of swales and/or pipes that discharges production area run-off either directly to waters of the state or to a ditch that leads to waters of the state? Waters of the state are: public ditches, tax ditches, streams, ponds that overflow, rivers, the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.
Answering yes to both of the above questions means you will need to apply for a permit.
How do I submit an application for a permit?
1. Fill out the application which is titled: Notice of Intent, General Permit for Discharges from Animal Feeding Operations, General Permit No. 09AF. The application can be found at http://www.mde.state.md.us/permits/watermanagementpermits/cafo.asp
2. Mail the following to: Maryland Department of the Environment, WMA, Suite 455, 1800 Washington Blvd., Baltimore MD 21230.
a. Completed Notice of Intent, General Permit for Discharges from Animal Feeding Operations, General Permit No. 09AF.
b. A copy of your Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan (if you do not have a CNMP then send your current Nutrient Management Plan and your Soil Conservation and Water Quality Plan along with a completed Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan Status form).
c. DO NOT SEND ANY MONEY!
d. Due date is February 27, 2009.
Question:
What if I have two small operations at two different locations – will I still need to apply for a permit?
Answer:
You will need to apply for a permit if there is common ownership of land between the two operations and if manure storage and/or land application of manure is shared between the two operations, and if the combined capacity meets or exceed the medium CAFO number threshold.
Table 1. AFO Table of Small, Medium, and Large Size Categories
Animal Type Size Category – Number of Animals or House Capacity (ft2)
Large Medium
Cattle (includes heifers) ≥ 1000 animals 300—999
Dairy cattle ≥ 700 animals 200—699
Horses ≥ 500 animals 150—499
Veal ≥ 1000 animals 300—999
Swine ≥ 55 pounds ≥ 2500 animals 750—2499
Swine < 55 pounds ≥ 10,000 animals 3,000—9,999
Sheep and lambs ≥ 10,000 animals 3,000—9,999
Ducks with liquid manure handling ≥ 5,000 animals 1,500—4,999
Chickens with liquid manure handling ≥ 30,000 animals 9,000—29,999
Ducks with dry manure handling ≥ 30,000 animals 10,000—29,999
Laying hens with dry manure handling ≥ 82,000 animals 25,000—81,999
Chickens (other than laying hens) with dry manure handling ≥125,000 animals or ≥ 100,000 ft2 37,500—124,999 animals and < 100,000 ft2
Turkeys ≥ 55,000 animals 16,500—54,999 animals
For more information contact Ms. Patsy Allen, Maryland Department of Environment, General Permits Coordinator at 800-633-6101 x 3599.
Prepared by:
Jennifer Rhodes, Extension Educator, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Queen Anne’s County, jrhodes@umd.edu or 410-758-0166
Jennifer Timmons, Agent & Regional Extension Poultry Specialist, Lower Eastern Shore Research and Education Center (LESREC), mdchick@umd.edu or 410-742-8788 ext.309
It is the policy of the University of Maryland, Agricultural Experiment Station and Maryland Cooperative Extension, that no person shall be subjected to discrimination on the grounds of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital or parental status, or disability.