REGULATING CAFOS IN DELAWARE

摘要

Water quality is a critical issue in Delaware. The majority of water bodies in the State are considered“impaired” due to pollution from a variety of sources. One of these sources is agriculture; specifically nutrients from animaloperations. Agriculture is also the largest industry in Delaware, contributing more than $800 million annually to the State’seconomy. In June 1999, the Delaware General Assembly passed House Bill 250: commonly referred to as the NutrientManagement Act. The Act establishes a Nutrient Management Commission and contains guidelines for the development of aNutrient Management Program to “improve water quality” while “maintaining agricultural profitability.” This programimpacts all animal operations larger than eight animal units, and anyone that applies nutrients to more than ten acres of land.An important element of the Nutrient Management Program is the development of regulations for concentrated animalfeeding operations (CAFOs). Delegation of the National Pollutant Discharge and Elimination System (NPDES) permittingprogram from the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control to the Nutrient Management Program is astated objective in the Nutrient Management Act. The challenge is to develop a CAFO program that is consistent with bothState and Federal guidelines. This presentation will describe the process of developing this program in Delaware.