National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit Regulation for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations: Removal of Vacated Elements in Response to 2011 Court Decision

The EPA is amending its regulations to eliminate the requirement that an owner or operator of a Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) that "proposes to discharge" must apply for a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit. This rulemaking also removes the voluntary certification option for unpermitted CAFOs because removal of the "propose to discharge" requirement renders the certification option unnecessary. Its purpose had been to allow CAFO owners and operators to certify that they were not violating the requirement that owners or operators of CAFOs that propose to discharge must seek permit coverage. Both of these provisions were included in the EPA's rulemaking entitled "Revised National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit Regulation and Effluent Limitations Guidelines for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations in Response to the Waterkeeper Decision," (the 2008 CAFO Rule).