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MPCA will adopt changes to NPDES permits Tuesday, January 13, 2004
Agri News staff writer
ST. PAUL -- Rather than rework the state's three-year-old feedlot rules to meet revised federal standards, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency will adopt changes to their National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits.
Under the Clean Water Act, feedlots are considered potential points of pollution and must operate with an NPDES permit. Aiming to further prevent contamination of public waters, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued revised rules regarding concentrated animal feeding operations this past April.
Concentrated animal feeding operations, by federal rule, raise more than 1,000 beef cattle; 700 dairy cows; 2,500 swine over 55 pounds; 10,000 sheep; 125,000 chickens; 82,000 laying hens or 55,000 turkeys.
Minnesota requires an NPDES permit for feedlots with 1,000 animal units (one animal unit being the amount of manure from a 1,000-pound steer) or more.
The state's permit revisions will be minor and won't change the method of determining feedlot size. Existing concentrated feedlots and future ones will have to keep records for five years instead of three. An annual reporting requirement has also been added.
"We can deal with the federal administrative and technical changes by revising our NPDES permits," Myrna Halbach, MPCA feedlot program manager said in a press release. "We will be drafting a new general permit that incorporates the EPA technical standards. We are considering different types of general permits for different types of livestock or manure management systems."
Currently more than 500 feedlots operate in Minnesota with an NPDES permit.
For more information, visit ww.pca.state.mn.us/hot/feedlots.html or call the MPCA Feedlot Hotline at 1-877-333-3508. |
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