| (a) Permit required. All concentrated animal feeding
operations (CAFOs) are point sources that require owners and operators
to seek and obtain authorization under a water quality general permit
or individual permit, except as provided in subsection (f) of this
section. CAFO owners and operators have a duty to seek coverage as
described in this section.
(b) Individual permit required. A discharge from the
following CAFOs may be authorized only under an individual water quality
permit in accordance with §321.34 of this title (relating to
Permit Applications). Except as provided by subsection (f) of this
section, any operator who is required to obtain an individual water
quality permit under this subsection may not commence physical construction
and/or operation of any new control facilities until an individual
water quality permit is issued for that CAFO, or unless otherwise
authorized by the commission in accordance with Texas Water Code (TWC), §26.027(c).
(1) Any CAFO located within one mile of coastal natural
resource areas as defined by Texas Natural Resources Code, §33.203,
unless the CAFO was authorized by the commission prior to January
10, 1997.
(2) Any dairy CAFO located in a major sole-source impairment
zone.
(3) Any CAFO where, on the date the executive director
determines that the application is administratively complete, any
part of the production area of the CAFO is located or adopted to be
located within the protection zone of a sole-source surface drinking
water supply, in accordance with TWC, §26.0286. This paragraph
does not apply to a poultry operation that does not use a liquid manure
handling system, which is commonly referred to as a dry litter poultry
operation.
(4) Any CAFO where any part of the production area
or land management units is located in a watershed of a segment listed
on the current United States Environmental Protection Agency-approved §303(d)
list of impaired water bodies, as required by 33 United States Code
(USC), §1313(d), and where a total maximum daily load implementation
plan has been adopted by the commission that established additional
water quality protection measures for CAFOs that are not required
by the CAFO general permit.
(5) Any animal feeding operation (AFO) that the executive
director designates and requires to be authorized by an individual
water quality permit to achieve the policies and purposes enumerated
in TWC, §5.120 and §26.003; Texas Health and Safety Code,
Chapters 341, 361, or 382; or §321.31 of this title (relating
to Manure, Litter, and Wastewater Discharge and Air Emission Limitations).
Cases where the executive director may require an AFO to obtain an
individual water quality permit include, but are not limited to, the
following:
(A) the operation is located near surface or groundwater
resources;
(B) compliance with standards in addition to those
listed in this subchapter is necessary in order to protect water in
the state from pollution;
(C) the operation is not or has not been in substantial
compliance with the standards of this subchapter;
(D) the operation is under a formal commission enforcement
order or has been referred to the commission for enforcement action
by the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board;
(E) the operation does not qualify for a CAFO general
permit under §205.4 of this title (relating to Authorizations
and Notices of Intent);
(F) the production area or land management unit of
any new CAFO is located in a watershed of a segment listed on the
current §303(d) list of impaired water bodies for bacteria, nutrients,
and/or pathogens as required by 33 USC, §1313(d); or
(G) the executive director determines that an individual
water quality permit is appropriate considering other pertinent factors.
(c) Individual permit or general permit required. A
discharge from any other CAFO shall be authorized either by an individual
water quality permit or an applicable CAFO general permit. Except
as provided by subsection (f) of this section, any operator required
to obtain an individual water quality permit or authorization under
a CAFO general permit according to this subsection may not begin physical
construction or operation of any new control facility until the CAFO
operator receives an individual water quality permit or authorization
under a CAFO general permit, unless otherwise authorized by the commission
under TWC, §26.027(c).
(d) New or expanding AFO. No person may commence construction
or operation of a new CAFO or alter any existing AFO such that it
becomes defined as a CAFO without prior authorization through an individual
water quality permit or a CAFO general permit, unless otherwise authorized
by the commission under TWC, §26.027(c). This subsection does
not apply to dry litter poultry operations specified in subsection
(f) of this section.
(e) Newly defined CAFO. An existing AFO that becomes
classified as a CAFO may not begin physical construction or operation
of any new control facility until the CAFO operator receives authorization
through an individual water quality permit or a CAFO general permit,
unless otherwise authorized by the commission under TWC, §26.027(c).
(f) Dry litter poultry operations. A dry litter poultry
CAFO shall only be required to obtain authorization by an individual
water quality permit or a CAFO general permit in accordance with subsection
(a), (b), or (c) of this section if it proposes to discharge or the
executive director determines that a permit is necessary due to an
unauthorized discharge; the operation's failure to comply with, or
timely obtain, a certified water quality management plan approved
by the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board; or other pertinent
factors. Any dry litter poultry CAFO is authorized to be constructed
and operated if the operation has a certified water quality management
plan approved by the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board
or is otherwise in compliance with the plan implementation schedule
set forth in the notes following codified TWC, §26.302.
(g) Expansion or modification requirements. A CAFO
operator authorized under an individual water quality permit shall
comply with §305.62 of this title (relating to Amendments). Before
the permittee begins physical construction or operation of any new
control facility, the operator must obtain commission authorization.
Changes for which an individual permit amendment is required include,
but are not limited to:
(1) increasing the maximum number of animals authorized
for confinement;
(2) increasing the wastewater storage volume;
(3) adding land management units or increasing application
acreage; and
(4) using a crop or yield goal to determine maximum
application rates for manure, sludge, or wastewater that is not authorized
by the permit or authorization.
(h) AFOs that are not defined or designated as CAFOs.
Discharges of manure, sludge, or wastewater from an AFO that is not
a CAFO as defined in this subchapter are authorized under this subchapter.
Requirements applicable to these AFOs are described in §321.47
of this title (relating to Requirements for Animal Feeding Operations
(AFOs) Not Defined or Designated As Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations
(CAFOs)).
(i) Edwards Aquifer. New CAFOs are prohibited within
the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone.
(j) Permit term. Individual and general permits issued
under this subchapter shall be effective for a term not to exceed
five years from the date the permit is issued.
(k) Dual authorization. No person may concurrently
hold both an individual water quality permit and authorization under
a CAFO general permit for the same CAFO.
(l) Additional requirements. Authorization under this
subchapter, a general permit, or an individual permit does not release
the operator from any responsibilities or requirements under other
federal, state, or local statutes or regulations.
(m) State-only authorizations. Any AFO that is a state-only
CAFO shall be authorized in accordance with subsection (a), (b), or
(c) of this section.
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| Source Note: The provisions of this §321.33 adopted to be effective April 1, 1987, 12 TexReg 904; amended to be effective September 18, 1998, 23 TexReg 9354; amended to be effective July 27, 1999, 24 TexReg 5721; amended to be effective March 6, 2002, 27 TexReg 1511; amended to be effective July 15, 2004, 29 TexReg 6652; amended to be effective May 3, 2006, 31 TexReg 3585; amended to be effective October 12, 2006, 31 TexReg 8382; amended to be effective July 31, 2014, 39 TexReg 5786 |
