Source: http://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/40/122.23
Timestamp: 2015-01-29 05:47:14
Document Index: 107085956

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 122', '§ 122', '§ 123', 'art 123', '§ 122', '§ 122', '§ 122', '§ 122', '§ 122', '§ 122', '§ 122', '§ 122', '§ 122', '§ 122', '§ 122', 'art 412', '§ 122', '§ 122', '§ 122', '§ 122', 'art 122']

40 CFR 122.23 - Concentrated animal feeding operations (applicable to State NPDES programs, see | LII / Legal Information Institute
CFR › Title 40 › Chapter I › Subchapter D › Part 122 › Subpart B › Section 122.23 40 CFR 122.23 - Concentrated animal feeding operations (applicable to State NPDES programs, see Status message
There are 3 Updates appearing in the Federal Register for 40 CFR 122. View below or at eCFR (GPOAccess)
§ 122.23
Concentrated animal feeding operations (applicable to State NPDES programs, see § 123.25).
Concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), as defined in paragraph (b) of this section or designated in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section, are point sources, subject to NPDES permitting requirements as provided in this section. Once an animal feeding operation is defined as a CAFO for at least one type of animal, the NPDES requirements for CAFOs apply with respect to all animals in confinement at the operation and all manure, litter, and process wastewater generated by those animals or the production of those animals, regardless of the type of animal.
Definitions applicable to this section:
Animal feeding operation (“AFO”) means a lot or facility (other than an aquatic animal production facility) where the following conditions are met:
Concentrated animal feeding operation (“CAFO”) means an AFO that is defined as a Large CAFO or as a Medium CAFO by the terms of this paragraph, or that is designated as a CAFO in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section. Two or more AFOs under common ownership are considered to be a single AFO for the purposes of determining the number of animals at an operation, if they adjoin each other or if they use a common area or system for the disposal of wastes.
The term land application area means land under the control of an AFO owner or operator, whether it is owned, rented, or leased, to which manure, litter or process wastewater from the production area is or may be applied.
Large concentrated animal feeding operation (“Large CAFO”). An AFO is defined as a Large CAFO if it stables or confines as many as or more than the numbers of animals specified in any of the following categories:
The term manure is defined to include manure, bedding, compost and raw materials or other materials commingled with manure or set aside for disposal.
Medium concentrated animal feeding operation (“Medium CAFO”). The term Medium CAFO includes any AFO with the type and number of animals that fall within any of the ranges listed in paragraph (b)(6)(i) of this section and which has been defined or designated as a CAFO. An AFO is defined as a Medium CAFO if:
Process wastewater means water directly or indirectly used in the operation of the AFO for any or all of the following: spillage or overflow from animal or poultry watering systems; washing, cleaning, or flushing pens, barns, manure pits, or other AFO facilities; direct contact swimming, washing, or spray cooling of animals; or dust control. Process wastewater also includes any water which comes into contact with any raw materials, products, or byproducts including manure, litter, feed, milk, eggs or bedding.
Production area means that part of an AFO that includes the animal confinement area, the manure storage area, the raw materials storage area, and the waste containment areas. The animal confinement area includes but is not limited to open lots, housed lots, feedlots, confinement houses, stall barns, free stall barns, milkrooms, milking centers, cowyards, barnyards, medication pens, walkers, animal walkways, and stables. The manure storage area includes but is not limited to lagoons, runoff ponds, storage sheds, stockpiles, under house or pit storages, liquid impoundments, static piles, and composting piles. The raw materials storage area includes but is not limited to feed silos, silage bunkers, and bedding materials. The waste containment area includes but is not limited to settling basins, and areas within berms and diversions which separate uncontaminated storm water. Also included in the definition of production area is any egg washing or egg processing facility, and any area used in the storage, handling, treatment, or disposal of mortalities.
Small concentrated animal feeding operation (“Small CAFO”). An AFO that is designated as a CAFO and is not a Medium CAFO.
How may an AFO be designated as a CAFO?
The appropriate authority (i.e., State Director or Regional Administrator, or both, as specified in paragraph (c)(1) of this section) may designate any AFO as a CAFO upon determining that it is a significant contributor of pollutants to waters of the United States.
Who may designate?—
Approved States.
In States that are approved or authorized by EPA under Part 123, CAFO designations may be made by the State Director. The Regional Administrator may also designate CAFOs in approved States, but only where the Regional Administrator has determined that one or more pollutants in the AFO's discharge contributes to an impairment in a downstream or adjacent State or Indian country water that is impaired for that pollutant.
States with no approved program.
The Regional Administrator may designate CAFOs in States that do not have an approved program and in Indian country where no entity has expressly demonstrated authority and has been expressly authorized by EPA to implement the NPDES program.
In making this designation, the State Director or the Regional Administrator shall consider the following factors:
The size of the AFO and the amount of wastes reaching waters of the United States;
The location of the AFO relative to waters of the United States;
The means of conveyance of animal wastes and process waste waters into waters of the United States;
The slope, vegetation, rainfall, and other factors affecting the likelihood or frequency of discharge of animal wastes manure and process waste waters into waters of the United States; and
No AFO shall be designated under this paragraph unless the State Director or the Regional Administrator has conducted an on-site inspection of the operation and determined that the operation should and could be regulated under the permit program. In addition, no AFO with numbers of animals below those established in paragraph (b)(6) of this section may be designated as a CAFO unless:
Pollutants are discharged into waters of the United States through a manmade ditch, flushing system, or other similar manmade device; or
Pollutants are discharged directly into waters of the United States which originate outside of the facility and pass over, across, or through the facility or otherwise come into direct contact with the animals confined in the operation.
Who must seek coverage under an NPDES permit?—
The owner or operator of a CAFO must seek coverage under an NPDES permit if the CAFO discharges or proposes to discharge. A CAFO proposes to discharge if it is designed, constructed, operated, or maintained such that a discharge will occur. Specifically, the CAFO owner or operator must either apply for an individual NPDES permit or submit a notice of intent for coverage under an NPDES general permit. If the Director has not made a general permit available to the CAFO, the CAFO owner or operator must submit an application for an individual permit to the Director.
Information to submit with permit application or notice of intent.
An application for an individual permit must include the information specified in § 122.21. A notice of intent for a general permit must include the information specified in §§ 122.21 and 122.28.
Information to submit with permit application.
A permit application for an individual permit must include the information specified in § 122.21. A notice of intent for a general permit must include the information specified in §§ 122.21 and 122.28.
Land application discharges from a CAFO are subject to NPDES requirements.
The discharge of manure, litter or process wastewater to waters of the United States from a CAFO as a result of the application of that manure, litter or process wastewater by the CAFO to land areas under its control is a discharge from that CAFO subject to NPDES permit requirements, except where it is an agricultural storm water discharge as provided in 33 U.S.C. 1362(14). For purposes of this paragraph, where the manure, litter or process wastewater has been applied in accordance with site specific nutrient management practices that ensure appropriate agricultural utilization of the nutrients in the manure, litter or process wastewater, as specified in § 122.42(e)(1)(vi)-(ix), a precipitation-related discharge of manure, litter or process wastewater from land areas under the control of a CAFO is an agricultural stormwater discharge.
For unpermitted Large CAFOs, a precipitation-related discharge of manure, litter, or process wastewater from land areas under the control of a CAFO shall be considered an agricultural stormwater discharge only where the manure, litter, or process wastewater has been land applied in accordance with site-specific nutrient management practices that ensure appropriate agricultural utilization of the nutrients in the manure, litter, or process wastewater, as specified in § 122.42(e)(1)(vi) through (ix).
Unpermitted Large CAFOs must maintain documentation specified in § 122.42(e)(1)(ix) either on site or at a nearby office, or otherwise make such documentation readily available to the Director or Regional Administrator upon request.
When must the owner or operator of a CAFO seek coverage under an NPDES permit?
Any CAFO that is required to seek permit coverage under paragraph (d)(1) of this section must seek coverage when the CAFO proposes to discharge, unless a later deadline is specified below.
Operations defined as CAFOs prior to April 14, 2003.
For operations defined as CAFOs under regulations that were in effect prior to April 14, 2003, the owner or operator must have or seek to obtain coverage under an NPDES permit as of April 14, 2003, and comply with all applicable NPDES requirements, including the duty to maintain permit coverage in accordance with paragraph (g) of this section.
Operations defined as CAFOs as of April 14, 2003, that were not defined as CAFOs prior to that date.
For all operations defined as CAFOs as of April 14, 2003, that were not defined as CAFOs prior to that date, the owner or operator of the CAFO must seek to obtain coverage under an NPDES permit by February 27, 2009.
Operations that become defined as CAFOs after April 14, 2003, but which are not new sources.
For a newly constructed CAFO and for an AFO that makes changes to its operations that result in its becoming defined as a CAFO for the first time after April 14, 2003, but is not a new source, the owner or operator must seek to obtain coverage under an NPDES permit, as follows:
For newly constructed operations not subject to effluent limitations guidelines, 180 days prior to the time CAFO commences operation;
For other operations (e.g., resulting from an increase in the number of animals), as soon as possible, but no later than 90 days after becoming defined as a CAFO; or
If an operational change that makes the operation a CAFO would not have made it a CAFO prior to April 14, 2003, the operation has until February 27, 2009, or 90 days after becoming defined as a CAFO, whichever is later.
The owner or operator of a new source must seek to obtain coverage under a permit at least 180 days prior to the time that the CAFO commences operation.
Operations that are designated as CAFOs.
For operations designated as a CAFO in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section, the owner or operator must seek to obtain coverage under a permit no later than 90 days after receiving notice of the designation.
Duty to maintain permit coverage.
No later than 180 days before the expiration of the permit, or as provided by the Director, any permitted CAFO must submit an application to renew its permit, in accordance with § 122.21(d), unless the CAFO will not discharge or propose to discharge upon expiration of the permit.
Procedures for CAFOs seeking coverage under a general permit.
CAFO owners or operators must submit a notice of intent when seeking authorization to discharge under a general permit in accordance with § 122.28(b). The Director must review notices of intent submitted by CAFO owners or operators to ensure that the notice of intent includes the information required by § 122.21(i)(1), including a nutrient management plan that meets the requirements of § 122.42(e) and applicable effluent limitations and standards, including those specified in 40 CFR part 412. When additional information is necessary to complete the notice of intent or clarify, modify, or supplement previously submitted material, the Director may request such information from the owner or operator. If the Director makes a preliminary determination that the notice of intent meets the requirements of §§ 122.21(i)(1) and 122.42(e), the Director must notify the public of the Director's proposal to grant coverage under the permit to the CAFO and make available for public review and comment the notice of intent submitted by the CAFO, including the CAFO's nutrient management plan, and the draft terms of the nutrient management plan to be incorporated into the permit. The process for submitting public comments and hearing requests, and the hearing process if a request for a hearing is granted, must follow the procedures applicable to draft permits set forth in 40 CFR 124.11 through 124.13. The Director may establish, either by regulation or in the general permit, an appropriate period of time for the public to comment and request a hearing that differs from the time period specified in 40 CFR 124.10. The Director must respond to significant comments received during the comment period, as provided in 40 CFR 124.17, and, if necessary, require the CAFO owner or operator to revise the nutrient management plan in order to be granted permit coverage. When the Director authorizes coverage for the CAFO owner or operator under the general permit, the terms of the nutrient management plan shall become incorporated as terms and conditions of the permit for the CAFO. The Director shall notify the CAFO owner or operator and inform the public that coverage has been authorized and of the terms of the nutrient management plan incorporated as terms and conditions of the permit applicable to the CAFO.
For EPA-issued permits only.
The Regional Administrator shall notify each person who has submitted written comments on the proposal to grant coverage and the draft terms of the nutrient management plan or requested notice of the final permit decision. Such notification shall include notice that coverage has been authorized and of the terms of the nutrient management plan incorporated as terms and conditions of the permit applicable to the CAFO.
Nothing in this paragraph (h) shall affect the authority of the Director to require an individual permit under § 122.28(b)(3).
No discharge certification option.
The owner or operator of a CAFO that meets the eligibility criteria in paragraph (i)(2) of this section may certify to the Director that the CAFO does not discharge or propose to discharge. A CAFO owner or operator who certifies that the CAFO does not discharge or propose to discharge is not required to seek coverage under an NPDES permit pursuant to paragraph (d)(1) of this section, provided that the CAFO is designed, constructed, operated, and maintained in accordance with the requirements of paragraphs (i)(2) and (3) of this section, and subject to the limitations in paragraph (i)(4) of this section.
In order to certify that a CAFO does not discharge or propose to discharge, the owner or operator of a CAFO must document, based on an objective assessment of the conditions at the CAFO, that the CAFO is designed, constructed, operated, and maintained in a manner such that the CAFO will not discharge, as follows:
The CAFO's production area is designed, constructed, operated, and maintained so as not to discharge. The CAFO must maintain documentation that demonstrates that:
Any open manure storage structures are designed, constructed, operated, and maintained to achieve no discharge based on a technical evaluation in accordance with the elements of the technical evaluation set forth in 40 CFR 412.46(a)(1)(i) through (viii);
Any part of the CAFO's production area that is not addressed by paragraph (i)(2)(i)(A) of this section is designed, constructed, operated, and maintained such that there will be no discharge of manure, litter, or process wastewater; and
The CAFO implements the additional measures set forth in 40 CFR 412.37(a) and (b);
The CAFO has developed and is implementing an up-to-date nutrient management plan to ensure no discharge from the CAFO, including from all land application areas under the control of the CAFO, that addresses, at a minimum, the following:
The elements of § 122.42(e)(1)(i) through (ix) and 40 CFR 412.37(c); and
All site-specific operation and maintenance practices necessary to ensure no discharge, including any practices or conditions established by a technical evaluation pursuant to paragraph (i)(2)(i)(A) of this section; and
The CAFO must maintain documentation required by this paragraph either on site or at a nearby office, or otherwise make such documentation readily available to the Director or Regional Administrator upon request.
Submission to the Director.
In order to certify that a CAFO does not discharge or propose to discharge, the CAFO owner or operator must complete and submit to the Director, by certified mail or equivalent method of documentation, a certification that includes, at a minimum, the following information:
The legal name, address and phone number of the CAFO owner or operator (see § 122.21(b));
The CAFO name and address, the county name and the latitude and longitude where the CAFO is located;
A statement that describes the basis for the CAFO's certification that it satisfies the eligibility requirements identified in paragraph (i)(2) of this section; and
The following certification statement: “I certify under penalty of law that I am the owner or operator of a concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO), identified as [Name of CAFO], and that said CAFO meets the requirements of 40 CFR 122.23(i). I have read and understand the eligibility requirements of 40 CFR 122.23(i)(2) for certifying that a CAFO does not discharge or propose to discharge and further certify that this CAFO satisfies the eligibility requirements. As part of this certification, I am including the information required by 40 CFR 122.23(i)(3). I also understand the conditions set forth in 40 CFR 122.23(i)(4), (5) and (6) regarding loss and withdrawal of certification. I certify under penalty of law that this document and all other documents required for this certification were prepared under my direction or supervision and that qualified personnel properly gathered and evaluated the information submitted. Based upon my inquiry of the person or persons directly involved in gathering and evaluating the information, the information submitted is to the best of my knowledge and belief true, accurate and complete. I am aware there are significant penalties for submitting false information, including the possibility of fine and imprisonment for knowing violations.”; and
The certification must be signed in accordance with the signatory requirements of 40 CFR 122.22.
A certification that meets the requirements of paragraphs (i)(2) and (i)(3) of this section shall become effective on the date it is submitted, unless the Director establishes an effective date of up to 30 days after the date of submission. Certification will remain in effect for five years or until the certification is no longer valid or is withdrawn, whichever occurs first. A certification is no longer valid when a discharge has occurred or when the CAFO ceases to meet the eligibility criteria in paragraph (i)(2) of this section.
At any time, a CAFO may withdraw its certification by notifying the Director by certified mail or equivalent method of documentation. A certification is withdrawn on the date the notification is submitted to the Director. The CAFO does not need to specify any reason for the withdrawal in its notification to the Director.
If a certification becomes invalid in accordance with paragraph (i)(4) of this section, the CAFO must withdraw its certification within three days of the date on which the CAFO becomes aware that the certification is invalid. Once a CAFO's certification is no longer valid, the CAFO is subject to the requirement in paragraph (d)(1) of this section to seek permit coverage if it discharges or proposes to discharge.
A previously certified CAFO that does not discharge or propose to discharge may recertify in accordance with paragraph (i) of this section, except that where the CAFO has discharged, the CAFO may only recertify if the following additional conditions are met:
The CAFO had a valid certification at the time of the discharge;
The owner or operator satisfies the eligibility criteria of paragraph (i)(2) of this section, including any necessary modifications to the CAFO's design, construction, operation, and/or maintenance to permanently address the cause of the discharge and ensure that no discharge from this cause occurs in the future;
The CAFO has not previously recertified after a discharge from the same cause;
The owner or operator submits to the Director for review the following documentation: a description of the discharge, including the date, time, cause, duration, and approximate volume of the discharge, and a detailed explanation of the steps taken by the CAFO to permanently address the cause of the discharge in addition to submitting a certification in accordance with paragraph (i)(3) of this section; and
Notwithstanding paragraph (i)(4) of this section, a recertification that meets the requirements of paragraphs (i)(6)(iii) and (i)(6)(iv) of this section shall only become effective 30 days from the date of submission of the recertification documentation.
An unpermitted CAFO certified in accordance with paragraph (i) of this section is presumed not to propose to discharge. If such a CAFO does discharge, it is not in violation of the requirement that CAFOs that propose to discharge seek permit coverage pursuant to paragraphs (d)(1) and (f) of this section, with respect to that discharge. In all instances, the discharge of a pollutant without a permit is a violation of the Clean Water Act section 301(a) prohibition against unauthorized discharges from point sources.
In any enforcement proceeding for failure to seek permit coverage under paragraphs (d)(1) or (f) of this section that is related to a discharge from an unpermitted CAFO, the burden is on the CAFO to establish that it did not propose to discharge prior to the discharge when the CAFO either did not submit certification documentation as provided in paragraph (i)(3) or (i)(6)(iv) of this section within at least five years prior to the discharge, or withdrew its certification in accordance with paragraph (i)(5) of this section. Design, construction, operation, and maintenance in accordance with the criteria of paragraph (i)(2) of this section satisfies this burden.
[68 FR 7265, Feb. 12, 2003, as amended at 71 FR 6984, Feb. 10, 2006; 72 FR 40250, July 24, 2007; 73 FR 70480, Nov. 20, 2008]
Title 40 published on 2014-07-01The following are only the Rules published in the Federal Register after the published date of Title 40.For a complete list of all Rules, Proposed Rules, and Notices view the Rulemaking tab.2014-09-19; vol. 79 # 182 - Friday, September 19, 201479 FR 56274 - National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES): Use of Sufficiently Sensitive Test Methods for Permit Applications and Reporting; Correction
typeregulations.gov FR Doc.2014-22289 RIN2040-AC84 EPA-HQ-OW-2009-1019 FRL-9916-33-OW ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY Final rule; correction. Effective September 18, 2014. 40 CFR Part 122 SummaryThe Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is correcting a final rule that appeared in the Federal Register of August 19, 2014 (79 FR 49001). The rule finalized minor amendments to its Clean Water Act (CWA) regulations to codify that under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program, in general, permit applicants must use “sufficiently sensitive” analytical test methods when completing an NPDES permit application and the Director must prescribe that only “sufficiently sensitive” methods be used for analyses of pollutants or pollutant parameters under an NPDES permit.
2014-08-19; vol. 79 # 160 - Tuesday, August 19, 201479 FR 49001 - National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES): Use of Sufficiently Sensitive Test Methods for Permit Applications and Reporting
2014-08-15; vol. 79 # 158 - Friday, August 15, 201479 FR 48300 - National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System—Final Regulations To Establish Requirements for Cooling Water Intake Structures at Existing Facilities and Amend Requirements at Phase I Facilities
Title 40 published on 2014-07-01The following are ALL rules, proposed rules, and notices (chronologically) published in the Federal Register relating to 40 CFR 122 after this date.2014-12-01; vol. 79 # 230 - Monday, December 1, 201479 FR 71066 - NPDES Electronic Reporting Rule
2014-09-19; vol. 79 # 182 - Friday, September 19, 201479 FR 56274 - National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES): Use of Sufficiently Sensitive Test Methods for Permit Applications and Reporting; Correction