Permiso de Operación de Alimentación de Animales Confinados
Para obtener más información, comuníquese con Chelsea Morris al 360-407-6563.
We issue the Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) General Permits to operations that confine livestock for long periods of time in pens or barns and discharge pollution to surface or groundwater. The permits require specific pollution prevention practices of facilities, such as collecting runoff and storing manure, land applying nutrients according to crop budgets, and adapting practices based on soil test results to protect water quality.
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Permit reissuance
We began the reissuance process with informal listening sessions in January 2021. In June 2021, the Washington State Court of Appeals issued their decision on the CAFO General Permit appeal. The court affirmed in part and reversed in part the October 2018 decision by the Pollution Control Hearings Board (PCHB case no. P17-016c). The permits are remanded to Ecology for rewriting consistent with the court’s opinion. Because the court’s decision requires significant changes, we revised our reissuance schedule and will hold a second round of public listening sessions in Fall 2021.
The current permit expires on March 2, 2022. The permit reissuance process includes informal listening sessions, a formal public comment period on the draft permit, and formal public meetings and hearings. We plan to make a permit reissuance decision by the end of 2022.
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Timeline
Winter 2021: Informal Listening Sessions
June 2021: Court of Appeals decision issued
Fall 2021: Informal Listening Sessions
March 2022: Current permit expires
Late Spring 2022: Formal Public Comment period on the draft permit
End of 2022: Decision on permit reissuance
Coming up
We held our first listening sessions before the June 2021 Court of Appeals decision. We will hold two more virtual listening sessions in October 2021 focused on the court’s decision. We are also accepting written feedback via our online comment form.
Additional changes to the permit we are considering include:
- Clarifying requirements for repairing liquid manure lagoons and composting solid materials
- Requiring monitoring of surface water and groundwater
- Revising public review process for nutrient management plans
- Clarifying land application requirements on very high risk fields
Listening Sessions Schedule
These sessions are open to the public. Interpretation services in Spanish are available.
- Morning Listening Session Webinar
Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2021 at 9 a.m.
- Evening Listening Session Webinar
Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021 at 5 p.m.
Submit comments online
Our online comment form will be open to capture your informal comments from Monday, Sept. 20, 2021 to Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021. We will not create a formal response to verbal or written comments during our listening session comment period.
Who needs to apply
You must get this permit if you:
- Confine livestock in pens or barns for 45 days or more during the year.
- Discharge from your operation.
Current permit & related documents
Information for permit holders
The current permit will expire on March 2, 2022. We plan to make a permit reissuance decision by the end of 2022. During the interim, permit holders will continue to have coverage under the 2017 permit.
How does the expired permit status impact me?
Water quality permits are issued on a five year cycle. Permits can expire for various reasons, including staffing shortages, delays in the review process, or the need to incorporate late-breaking information.
An expired permit is still valid for current permit holders, but some actions are not allowed under an expired permit. Permit coverage will continue until one of the following occurs:
- The general permit is reissued
- The permittee terminates coverage
What actions are not allowed under an expired permit?
Under an expired permit, the following actions are not allowed:
- Adding new permittees; we cannot accept entirely new permit coverages.
- Modifying permit coverage; permit holders cannot propose new field discharge management area alternatives.
Do permit requirements change under an expired permit?
No, the requirements remain the same under the expired permit. If you complete a renewal application, your permit coverage remains in effect. Continue to follow reporting and recordkeeping requirements outlined in the permit.