Proposed Revisions to CAFO NPDES Rule
Source:
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) (2008)URL:
http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/afo/aforule.cfmAbstract:
EPA is seeking comment on additional options being considered for inclusion in the rulemaking to respond to the changes required by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals decision in Waterkeeper Alliance et al. v. EPA. This action supplements the June 2006 proposal to revise the NPDES permitting requirements and Effluent Limitations Guidelines (ELGs) for CAFOs. The 2008 supplemental proposal will be open for public comment for 30 days.
EPA is proposing a voluntary option for CAFOs to certify to the permitting authority that they do not discharge or propose to discharge and therefore do not need NPDES permit coverage. The Agency is also proposing a framework for identifying the terms of the nutrient management plan (NMP) and offers three alternative approaches for addressing application rates of manure, litter, and process wastewater when identifying terms of the NMP to be included in the permit.
EPA is only seeking comment on issues presented in the supplemental proposal and is not reopening any other provisions of the June 2006 proposal and existing NPDES regulations or Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards for public comment. The Agency will respond to comments it has already received on the June 2006 proposed rule as well as those received during the comment period for the 2008 supplemental proposal when it publishes the final rule.