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Animal Feeding Operations Unit :: Statutes & Rules

NC General Statutes

Animal Waste Management Systems

Swine Farm Siting

 

NC Session Law

Swine Farm Moratoria

 

US EPA Rules

The federal Clean Water Act created the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Program "to protect and improve water quality by regulating point source dischargers." The Act defines a concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) as a point source. The US Environmental Protection Agency provides rules for CAFO regulation, which were revised in February 2003.

EPA CAFO Final Rule - February 12, 2003

A lawsuit was filed against the EPA by both environmental and industry groups, which resulted in the removal of some parts of the rule (see the Updates & News page for more details).

 

NC Water Quality Rules

The revised .0200 Rules have been approved and went into effect on September 1, 2006. The rules were codified into a new chapter NCAC 15A 02T: Waste Not Discharged to Surface Waters.

  • Animal Waste Management Systems rules are now combined into Section .1300,
  • The new Manure Hauler Operations rules are in Section .1400.

 

Senate Bill 1217 Interagency Group

In an effort to address questions from technical specialists and provide uniform interpretations to technical specialists regarding the requirements of the animal waste management rules, the 1996 session of the General Assembly created an interagency committee. The SB 1217 Interagency Group, consists of two (2) representatives from each of the following agencies: the Division of Soil and Water Conservation (DSWC), the Division of Water Quality (DWQ), the Department of Agriculture (NCDA & CS), the Cooperative Extension Service (NCCES), and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), which is an agency within the United States Department of Agriculture.

SB 1217 Guidance Documents

The above link contains the 8th Guidance Document and all appendices to the Guidance Document.