Water Quality Monitoring Petition

Proposed Rules for Water Quality Monitoring at Animal Operations

In order to protect North Carolina’s waters from pollution, the state Environmental Management Commission (EMC) supports the evaluation of potential impacts from many different sources. 

In 2007, the EMC received petitions seeking the development of rules to assess potential water quality impacts from animal feeding operations. In November 2008, the EMC approved the petitions and directed the Division of Water Quality, with input from various stakeholder groups, to develop rules to establish and implement a surface water monitoring program addressing the petitioners concerns.

The proposed rules define the process for establishing sampling locations at each subject animal operation, sampling frequency and water quality parameters to be evaluated.  The rules also prioritize the implementation process and describe how farms may voluntarily form monitoring coalitions.  

Four public hearings were held in 2009, and as a result of public comment, the hearing officers recommended changes to the proposed rules. Specifically, the hearing officers have recommended the removal of Fecal Coliform and Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD₅) from the list of parameters to be sampled in 15A NCAC 02T.1310(b)(4), and a clarification to the visual observation requirements in 15A NCAC 02T.1310(a)(3). The EMC is interested in receiving additional comments on these proposed changes. After review of the additional comments, the hearing officers will make a final recommendation.

Comment period was closed on August 16, 2010

Public Comments and Replies - First Comment Period

Public Comments and Replies - Second Comment Period

 

 

Proposed Monitoring Rules (15A NCAC 02T .1310-.1311)

DWQ Public Hearing Presentation on Proposed Rules

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Monitoring Petition Information - updated June 16, 2010:

• Fact Sheet
• Fiscal Analysis
• DWQ Information in Support of the Petition
• Waterkeeper Petition

 

Public Hearing and Public Comments:

The first public comment period was from May 15 - July 14, 2009. 

 

Stakeholder Meetings Record:

 

Date	Agenda	Sign In Sheet	Meeting Notes
June 16, 2008	Agenda	Attendees	Minutes
July 8, 2008	Agenda	Attendees	Minutes
July 31, 2008	N/A	Attendees	Minutes
August 14, 2008	N/A	Attendees	Minutes

Questions?

Contact the Animal Feeding Operations Unit at (919) 707-9129 or Christine Lawson at (919) 707-3664.