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NORTH CAROLINA
North Carolina plans to use an individual approach through its basinwide
management program to address nonpoint source pollution. This involves looking
at river basins individually, identifying problems, and targeting specific
areas that threaten water quality.
Taking a Stand on Animal Waste Management
In North Carolina, citizen complaints have usually prompted investigations
about water quality problems after degradation has occurred. However, with
section 319 funds, North Carolina has developed a more formal process to plan
and operate animal waste management systems to protect surface and groundwater
quality before problems occur.
As a result of the state's expanding animal production operations,
particularly hog farming, the North Carolina Department of Environment, Health
and Natural Resources, Division of Environmental Management (DEM), needed to
become more proactive in protecting water quality. So DEM used a portion of its
FY 1992 section 319 grant to support the development, coordination, public
outreach, training, and implementation of a proactive animal waste management
strategy. North Carolina received a section 319 grant of $78,565 for regulation
and a $90,000 grant for education.
Responding to the concerns of interest groups and local governments, DEM
evaluated existing rules and found them lacking. As a result, in December 1992
North Carolina adopted a water quality rule to address discharges from animal
management operations into surface waters. The rule requires all animal waste
management systems, regardless of size, to operate without discharging to
surface waters. This means that waste must be contained onsite or used on the
land as fertilizer in an environmentally safe manner.
The rule establishes animal thresholds or limits for several types of
operations (Table 4-3). Farmers with fewer animals and operating without
discharge automatically comply with the rule and can receive permits. Farmers
with operations larger than the threshold must submit an animal waste
management plan outlining how they will handle animal waste. If these farmers
can establish environmentally sound waste management practices, they may not
need to make structural changes in their operations. New and expanded feedlots
with more animals than the threshold must seek state approval before beginning
- operations and must meet specific design and construction standards. The
standards and specifications for new - facilities are based on those used by
SCS and the North Carolina Soil and Water Conservation Commission, the lead
agency for agricultural nonpoint source pollution control.
By the end of 1997, all farms must have approved animal waste management
plans. Farms not meeting the compliance timetable (Table 4-4) may come under a
more stringent permitting process. In addition, farmers violating water quality
standards are subject to civil and criminal penalties of up to $10,000 per day
and imprisonment. North Carolina expects to see a marked reduction in organic
and nutrient loading from this ongoing statewide program. Now that section 319
funds have helped establish the rule, North Carolina may again turn to these
funds for actual implementation.
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