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Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation Water Permit Application Deadline Extended

Release Date: 02/07/2006
Contact Information: Dale Kemery, (202) 564-4355 / [email protected]

(2/7/06) Concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) will have additional time to seek water permit coverage and implement nutrient management plans (NMPs) as required by EPA's 2003 CAFO rule. Under a final rule, facilities newly defined as CAFOs will have until July 31, 2007, to seek National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit coverage.

The 2003 rule required newly defined CAFOs to seek NPDES permit coverage by Feb. 13, 2006, and for all CAFOs to have NMPs in place by Dec. 31, 2006. EPA will be revising the 2003 rule in response to a federal court decision; however, this revision will not be finalized by Feb. 13, 2006. Therefore, EPA is extending the deadlines.

In addition, all CAFOs will have until July 31, 2007, to implement NMPs. The action being announced today will not affect other aspects of the CAFO NPDES permitting program. It solely addresses timing issues associated with the court ruling.

Additional information on the extension of CAFO compliance dates rulemaking: https://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/afo/caforulechanges.cfm#dates

General information about animal feeding operations: https://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/home.cfm?program_id=7