[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 234 (Tuesday, December 7, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70684-70687]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-26817]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7845-7]


Notice of Proposed NPDES General Permit for Discharges From 
Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) in New Mexico, Oklahoma, 
and on Indian Lands in New Mexico and Oklahoma (NMG010000 and 
OKG010000)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of draft NPDES general permit.

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SUMMARY: EPA Region 6 is proposing to reissue NPDES General Permit No. 
NMG010000 and OKG010000 for discharges from CAFOs in New Mexico, 
Oklahoma, and on Indian lands in New

[[Page 70685]]

Mexico and Oklahoma. This permit was originally issued in the Federal 
Register at 58 FR 7610 with an effective date of March 10, 1993, and an 
expiration date of March 10, 1998. The applicable requirements from 
that 1993 permit are continued in the current proposal to reissue. The 
current proposal also adds additional requirements contained in revised 
CAFO regulations at 40 CFR parts 122 and 412 which were published in 
the Federal Register at 68 FR 7175 on February 12, 2003.

DATES: Comments on this proposed permit must be submitted by February 
7, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Comments on this proposed permit should be sent to the 
Regional Administrator, EPA Region 6, 1445 Ross Avenue, Dallas, Texas 
75202-2733.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Diane Smith, EPA Region 6, 1445 
Ross Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75202-2733, telephone (214) 665-2145. The 
complete fact sheet and proposed permit can be found on the Internet at 
http://www.epa.gov/earth1r6/6wq/6wq.htm. Copies of the fact sheet and 
proposed permit may also be obtained from Ms. Smith. In addition, the 
current administrative record on the proposal is available for 
examination at the Region's Dallas offices during normal working hours 
after providing Ms. Smith 24 hours advanced notice.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA's comments and public hearing procedures 
may be found at 40 CFR 124.10 and 124.12 (48 FR 14264, April 1, 1983, 
as amended at 49 FR 38051, September 26, 1984). The comment period 
during which written comments on the draft permit may be submitted 
extends for 60 days from the date of this notice. During the comment 
period, any interested person may request a Public Hearing by filing a 
written request which must state the issues to be raised. A public 
hearing will be held when EPA finds a significant degree of public 
interest.
    Regulated categories and entities include:

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              Category                  Examples of regulated entities
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Industry............................  Operators of concentrated animal
                                       feeding operations.
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    This table is not intended to be exhaustive, but rather provides a 
guide for readers regarding entities likely to be regulated by this 
action. This table lists the types of entities that EPA is now aware 
could potentially be regulated by this action. Other types of entities 
not listed in the table could also be regulated. To determine whether 
your (facility, company, business, organization, etc.) is regulated by 
this action, you should carefully examine the applicability criteria in 
Part I of the permit. If you have questions regarding the applicability 
of this action to a particular entity, consult the person listed in the 
preceding FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section.
    Section 301(a) of the Clean Water Act (CWA or the Act), 33 U.S.C. 
1311(a), makes it unlawful to discharge pollutants to waters of the 
United States in the absence of authorizing permits. CWA section 402, 
33 U.S.C. 1342, authorizes EPA to issue National Discharge Elimination 
System (NPDES) permits allowing discharges on condition they will meet 
certain requirements, including CWA sections 301, 304, and 401 (33 
U.S.C. 1331, 1314 and 1341). Those statutory provisions require that 
NPDES permits include effluent limitations requiring that authorized 
discharges: (1) Meet standards reflecting levels of technological 
capability, (2) comply with EPA-approved state water quality standards 
and (3) comply with other state requirements adopted under authority 
retained by states under CWA 510, 33 U.S.C. 1370.

A. Application for Coverage

    To be covered by this permit, CAFO owners/operators must submit a 
Notice of Intent (NOI) for permit coverage. The information required in 
the NOI is listed in the permit and is required by Federal regulations 
at 40 CFR 122.21(a)(1). For CAFOs that are not new sources, the 
Endangered Species and National Historic Preservation Act eligibility 
provisions contained in Appendices A and B of the permit must be met. 
For new source CAFOs (Large CAFOs whose construction began after April 
14, 2003), and new source expansions of existing CAFOs, the facility 
must submit an Environmental Information Document (EID) that must 
contain information for EPA's use in consultations under the Endangered 
Species Act and National Historic Preservation Act. The EID enables EPA 
in performing a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) environmental 
review. Region 6 must have completed the NEPA review and issued an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) or Finding of No Significant 
Impact (FNSI) for a new source CAFO before the facility is eligible for 
coverage under the general permit.
    The permit specifies the deadlines by which facilities must apply 
for permit coverage. For facilities that were defined as CAFOs under 
regulations in effect prior to April 14, 2003, and are not new sources, 
coverage must be sought within 30 days after the effective date of this 
permit. For newly defined CAFOs (operations defined as CAFOs as of 
April 14, 2003), but not defined as CAFOs under regulations in effect 
prior to that date (for example, dry manure-handling poultry operations 
having as many or more than 125,000 birds), coverage must be sought no 
later than February 13, 2006. For new sources, coverage must be sought 
at least 30 days prior to the time the CAFO commences operation.

B. Limitations on Permit Coverage

    In the proposed permit, certain CAFOs are not eligible for coverage 
under this NPDES general permit, but must apply for an individual NPDES 
permit:

    1. CAFOs that have been notified by EPA to apply for an 
individual NPDES permit in accordance with 40 CFR 122.28(b)(3).
    2. CAFOs that have been notified by EPA Region 6 that they are 
ineligible for coverge because of a past history of non-compliance.
    3. CAFOs not meeting the Endangered Species and/or Historic 
Properties eligibility requirements specified in the permit.
    4. CAFOs commencing operation after June 25, 1992, discharging 
to certain waters in Oklahoma that are designated as Outstanding 
Resource Waters and/or Scenic Rivers in the Oklahoma Water Quality 
Standards, Appendices A and B.

C. Effluent Limitations

    The permit generally requires that there shall be no discharge of 
manure, litter or process wastewater pollutants into waters of the U.S. 
from the CAFO production area. Whenever precipitation causes an 
overflow of manure, litter or process wastewater, however, pollutants 
in the overflow may be discharged into U.S. waters provided the 
production area is designed, constructed, operated and maintained to 
contain all manure, litter and process wastewater, including the runoff 
and direct precipitation from a 25-year, 24-hour rainfall event. The 
design standard for new source swine, poultry and veal calf CAFOs is a 
100-year, 24-hour rainfall event. The permit requires no discharge of 
manure, litter or process wastewater from retention or control 
structures to groundwater with a direct hydrologic connection to 
surface waters of the U.S., and no discharge of rainfall runoff from 
manure or litter storage piles. The permit also requires no discharge 
of manure, litter or process wastewater to waters of the U.S. from land 
application areas under the operational control of the CAFO. These 
requirements are contained in the CAFO regulations at 40 CFR part 412 
and/or the previous Region 6 NPDES general

[[Page 70686]]

permit for CAFOs in New Mexico and Oklahoma. The permit also contains a 
number of additional requirements, which were contained in the previous 
Region 6 CAFO general permit, for a CAFO's animal confinement, storage 
and handling areas, and manure/wastewater land application areas.

D. Nutrient Management Plan (NMP)

    The permit requires each CAFO covered by the permit to develop and 
implement a site-specific NMP, as required by Federal regulations at 40 
CFR parts 122 and 412. The permit gives the schedule for developing and 
implementing an NMP. New source CAFOs are required to develop and 
implement an NMP upon the date of permit coverage. The requirement for 
other than new source CAFOs is to develop and implement an NMP no later 
than December 31, 2006.

Other Legal Requirements

A. State/Tribal Certification

    Under section 401(a)(1) of the Act, EPA may not issue an NPDES 
permit until the State or Tribe in which the discharge will originate 
grants or waives certification to ensure compliance with appropriate 
requirements of the Act, state or tribal law. The Region has solicited 
certification from the States of New Mexico and Oklahoma, and the 
Pueblos of Acoma, Isleta, Nambe, Picuris, Pojoaque, Sandia, San Juan, 
Santa Clara and Tesuque.

B. National Environmental Policy Act

    With the exception of issuance of a permit to a ``new source'', 
section 511(c)(1) of the Clean Water Act exempts EPA NPDES permit 
actions from the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act 
of 1969 (NEPA). New source CAFOs are Large CAFOs on which construction 
began after April 13, 2003. EPA anticipates that relatively few CAFOs 
seeking coverage under the general permit will be such ``new sources''. 
In the proposed CAFO general permit, a new source CAFO must go through 
the NEPA environmental review process prior to applying for coverage 
under the permit. A similar NEPA review procedure was used under the 
previous Region 6 CAFO general permit issued in 1993.

C. Endangered Species Act

    The Endangered Species Act (ESA) requires federal agencies, in 
consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), to insure 
that any action they authorize is not likely to jeopardize the 
continued existence of any listed species or result in the destruction 
or adverse modification of critical habitat. In order to fulfill it's 
obligations under ESA, Region 6 has begun consultation with FWS 
regarding reissuance of this general permit.
    EPA proposes use of an eligibility screening mechanism to ensure 
protection of listed species and their critical habitat. It is designed 
to allow coverage under this general permit only to those existing 
CAFOs that (1) have no listed species or critical habitat in their 
county or in proximity to their CAFO or discharge locations; or (2) 
have completed an ESA section 7 consultation that considered all 
currently listed species and critical habitat and which resulted in 
either a ``no jeopardy'' opinion by FWS or FWS concurrence that the 
CAFO's permit-related activities are ``unlikely to adversely affect'' 
listed species or critical habitat; or (3) have an ESA section 10 
permit which considers all currently listed species and critical 
habitat; or (4) can document that the CAFO's permit-related activities 
are ``not likely to adversely affect'' listed species or critical 
habitat, or has reached agreement with FWS on measures to avoid or 
eliminate adverse effects. Existing CAFOs that do not certify 
compliance with one or more of those criteria cannot obtain coverage 
under the general permit and must submit an individual permit 
application. This eligibility screening mechanism is similar to that 
included in several previously issued and proposed NPDES general 
permits, including the proposed NPDES general permit for Small 
Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems in New Mexico and in other areas 
where Region 6 retains NPDES permitting authority, and the Multi-sector 
Stormwater General NPDES Permit and the Construction Stormwater NPDES 
General Permit for those same areas in Region 6.

    Note: As a possible alternative to the ESA eligibility screening 
mechanism requirements (1) and (4), above, EPA Region 6 is currently 
working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), as a part of 
its ESA consultation on the general permit, to geographically 
designate areas of concern for endangered species and critical 
habitat. Under this geographic alternative, the eligibility 
requirement (1) would be met if a CAFO, or the point(s) where 
authorized discharges reach waters of the U.S., is outside of any 
designated areas of concern. Where a CAFO, or the point(s) where 
authorized discharges reach waters of the U.S., is located within a 
designated area of concern, the eligibility requirement (4) would 
require the CAFO to meet conditions and measures to avoid or 
eliminate adverse effects to listed species or critical habitat that 
were caused by authorized discharges.

    New source CAFOs and new source expansions of existing CAFOs must 
include analysis of their potential effects on federally listed species 
and critical habitat in their EIDs. If the CAFO may affect listed 
species or critical habitat, EPA will integrate the required ESA 
consultation with its NEPA review.

D. National Historic Preservation Act

    Section 6 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) requires 
that federal agencies consider the effects of their undertakings (such 
as issuance of an NPDES permit) on properties listed or eligible for 
listing in the National Register of Historic Places. Prior to 
completion of such an undertaking, the Federal agency shall provide the 
Advisory Council on Historic Preservation a reasonable opportunity to 
comment on the undertaking. To fulfill its NHPA obligations, Region 6 
is initiating consultation with the Oklahoma Historical Commission, the 
New Mexico Historical Commission and Indian tribes in New Mexico and 
Oklahoma.
    EPA proposes an eligibility screening mechanism designed to 
minimize harm to any properties listed or eligible for listing on the 
National Register of Historic Places that may be directly and adversely 
affected by the reissuance of this general permit. This mechanism is 
designed to allow coverage under this general permit only to those 
existing CAFOs (i.e., those on which construction commenced prior to 
April 13, 2003) that (1) document that their permit-related activities 
do not affect properties listed or eligible for listing on the National 
Register of Historic Places; or (2) have obtained and are in compliance 
with a written agreement with the appropriate State Historic 
Preservation Officer and/or Tribal Historic Preservation Officer that 
outlines measures to be taken to mitigate or prevent adverse effects to 
historic properties. Existing CAFOs that do not certify compliance with 
one of these criteria cannot obtain coverage under the general permit 
and must submit an individual permit application. This eligibility 
screening mechanism is similar to that included in several issued and 
proposed NPDES general permits, including the proposed NPDES general 
permit for Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems in New Mexico 
and in other areas where Region 6 retains NPDES permitting authority, 
and the Multi-sector Stormwater General NPDES Permit and the 
Construction Stormwater NPDES General Permit for those same areas in 
Region 6.

[[Page 70687]]

    New source CAFOs must include an analysis of their potential 
effects on properties listed or eligible for listing on the National 
Register of Historic Places in their EIDs. If the CAFO may affect 
eligible properties, EPA will integrate the required section 106 
consultation with its NEPA review.

    Dated: November 30, 2004.
Jane B. Watson,
Acting Director, Water Quality Protection Division, EPA Region 6.
[FR Doc. 04-26817 Filed 12-6-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P