TITLE 9. ENVIRONMENT
TITLE 9. ENVIRONMENT
STATE WATER CONTROL BOARD
Final Regulation
REGISTRAR'S NOTICE: The State Water Control Board is claiming an exemption from Article 2 of the Administrative Process Act in accordance with § 2.2-4006 A 4 a of the Code of Virginia, which excludes regulations that are necessary to conform to changes in Virginia statutory law or the appropriation act where no agency discretion is involved. The board will receive, consider, and respond to petitions by any interested person at any time with respect to reconsideration or revision.
Title of Regulation: 9VAC25-192. Virginia Pollution Abatement (VPA) Regulation and General Permit for Animal Feeding Operations and Animal Waste Management (amending 9VAC25-192-10, 9VAC25-192-20).
Statutory Authority: § 62.1-44.15 of the Code of Virginia.
Effective Date: November 9, 2022.
Agency Contact: Betsy Bowles, Department of Environmental Quality, 1111 East Main Street, Suite 1400, P.O. Box 1105, Richmond, VA 23218, telephone (804) 659-1913, FAX (804) 698-4032, or email betsy.bowles@deq.virginia.gov.
Summary:
Pursuant to Chapter 356 of the 2022 Acts of Assembly, the amendments conform the regulation to a statutorily change shifting authority to issue and enforce permits from the State Water Control Board to the Department of Environmental Quality.
9VAC25-192-10. Definitions.
The words and terms used in this chapter shall have the meanings defined in the State Water Control Law (§ 62.1-44.2 et seq. of the Code of Virginia) and the Permit Regulation (9VAC25-32) unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, except that for the purposes of this chapter:
"Agricultural stormwater discharge" means a precipitation-related discharge of manure, litter, or process wastewater that has been applied on land areas under the control of an animal feeding operation or under the control of an animal waste end-user in accordance with a nutrient management plan approved by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation and in accordance with site specific nutrient management practices that ensure appropriate agricultural utilization of the nutrients in the manure, litter or process wastewater.
"Animal feeding operation" means a lot or facility where the following conditions are met:
1. Animals have been, are, or will be stabled or confined and fed or maintained for a total of 45 days or more in any 12-month period; and
2. Crops, vegetation, forage growth or post-harvest residues are not sustained in the normal growing season over any portion of the operation of the lot or facility.
Two or more animal feeding operations under common ownership are a single animal feeding operation for the purposes of determining the number of animals at an operation, if they adjoin each other, or if they use a common area or system for the disposal of wastes.
"Animal waste" means liquid, semi-solid, and solid animal manure and process wastewater, compost, or sludges associated with animal feeding operations including the final treated wastes generated by a digester or other manure treatment technologies.
"Animal waste end-user" or "end-user" means any recipient of transferred animal waste who stores or who utilizes the waste as fertilizer, fuel, feedstock, livestock feed, or other beneficial use for an operation under his control.
"Animal waste fact sheet" means the document that details the requirements regarding utilization, storage, and management of animal waste by end-users. The fact sheet is approved by the department.
"Beneficial use" means a use that is of benefit as a substitute for natural or commercial products and does not contribute to adverse effects on health or environment.
"Board" means the State Water Control Board. When used outside the context of the promulgation of regulations, including regulations to establish general permits, "board" means the Department of Environmental Quality.
"Confined animal feeding operation," for the purposes of this regulation, has the same meaning as an "animal feeding operation."
"Department" means the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.
"Director" means the Director of the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality or his designee.
"Nutrient management plan" or "NMP" means a plan developed or approved by the Department of Conservation and Recreation that requires proper storage, treatment, and management of animal waste and limits accumulation of excess nutrients in soils and leaching or discharge of nutrients into state waters; except that for an animal waste end-user who is not covered under the general permit, the requirements of 9VAC25-192-90 constitute the NMP.
"Organic source" means any nutrient source including, but not limited to, manures, biosolids, compost, and waste or sludges from animals, humans, or industrial processes, but for the purposes of this regulation it excludes waste from wildlife.
"Waste nutrient analysis rate" means a land application rate for animal waste approved by the board as specified in this regulation.
"Waste storage facility" means (i) a waste holding pond or tank used to store manure prior to land application, (ii) a lagoon or treatment facility used to digest or reduce the solids or nutrients, or (iii) a structure used to store manure or waste.
"Vegetated buffer" means a permanent strip of dense perennial vegetation established parallel to the contours of and perpendicular to the dominant slope of the field for the purposes of slowing water runoff, enhancing water infiltration, and minimizing the risk of any potential nutrients or pollutants from leaving the field and reaching surface waters.
"300 animal units" means 300,000 pounds of live animal weight, or the following numbers and types of animals:
a. 300 slaughter and feeder cattle;
b. 200 mature dairy cattle (whether milked or dry cows);
c. 750 swine each weighing over 25 kilograms (approximately 55 pounds);
d. 150 horses;
e. 3,000 sheep or lambs;
f. 16,500 turkeys;
g. 30,000 laying hens or broilers.
9VAC25-192-20. Purpose; delegation of authority; effective date of permit.
A. This general permit regulation governs the pollutant management activities at animal feeding operations having 300 or more animal units utilizing a liquid manure collection and storage system not covered by a Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (VPDES) permit and animal waste utilized or stored by animal waste end-users. These animal feeding operations may operate and maintain treatment works for waste storage, treatment, or recycling and may perform land application of manure, wastewater, compost, or sludges.
B. The Director of the Department of Environmental Quality, or his designee, may perform any act of the board provided under this chapter, except as limited by § 62.1-44.14 of the Code of Virginia.
C. This general permit will become effective on November 16, 2014. This general permit will expire 10 years from the effective date.
VA.R. Doc. No. R23-7268; Filed September 09, 2022