DEP Update 2015 Pennsylvania Inter-Agency Nutrient Management Annual Conference Clarion and Lancaster, PA November 2015

DEP Regional Offices

Ag Operations by DEP Region   # of FARMS NWRO 8590 14% NCRO 10608 18% NERO 5386 9% SWRO 9720 16% SCRO 21754 37% SERO 3251 5%  Total 59,309 100% CAFOs = 374 ….. 50% of manure generated in PA CAO/VAO = 1800 The Rest = 57,000 Note: In 2014, 5802 stream miles impaired by agriculture. Leading single cause of water pollution in PA

NPDES/CAFO Program >1000 Animal Equivalent Units (AEU = 1000lb) or What is a Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation? >1000 Animal Equivalent Units (AEU = 1000lb) or Concentrated Animal Operation >300 AEUs Exceeds EPA Thresholds NPDES Permit – Just like a Sewage Plant 700 dairy cows, 1K veal calves, 1K cattle, 2.5K swine (>55lb), 10K swine (<55lb), 500 horses, 10K sheep/lamb, 55K turkey, 30K layers/broilers (wet) 125K broilers (dry), 82K layers (dry), 30K duck (dry), 5K duck (wet) EPA is VERY serious about CAFO permitted facilities and I would suggest that you should be too. If you are a planner for one or the plan reviewer. Do not cut corners, do not mess with the public notice requirements for the NMP.

CAFO Program Statistics

CAFO Program Statistics

CAFO Program Statistics

CAFO Winter Application NPDES Permit Requirement – Notify DEP in writing within 7 days prior to winter application of manure. Winter is: December 15 to February 28; or Any time the ground is frozen 4+ inches deep; or Snow covered Winter Period Application of Manure Notification Form

CAFO Winter Notification Form Form revised for Winter 2015/16 and available of DEP CAFO web page. Submitted via mail, fax, or email Purposes: EPA required that DEP include notification provision in the NPDES permit Provides DEP an opportunity to coordinate with CAFO to observe manure application event if inclined Provides DEP with advanced who/what information if compliant is received regarding a winter manure application QA/QC with CAFO NMP Winter Manure Application Matrix. Reason why the revised form requests CAFO to now include field specific information. Check boxes were also added to identify Emergency and/or Contagious Disease Outbreak (e.g. HPAI) situations

#CAFOs Submitting Forms CAFO Primary Animal Type Winter Notice 2014-2015 Statistics PA DEP Region # Forms Received #CAFOs Submitting Forms Counties SERO 23 2 1 NERO SCRO 106 38 12 NCRO 5 4 SWRO 7 NWRO CAFO Primary Animal Type Beef 2 Chicken 5 Dairy 22 Duck Swine 14 Turkey 1 Horses

DEP Update – Chesapeake Bay EPA - As many of you know, with in the last several years EPA has been looking closely at PA We have existing regs, yet we have a huge amount of impaired stream miles due to sediment/nutrient runoff; Ag is the #1 source of these impairments in PA EPA – something's wrong with this picture – question PAs abilities to address Ag related requirements and the pollution problem. Requests PA to increase the level of compliance with existing regulations; Requests PA increase # of farm inspections; Requests PA increase the state funding for Ag BMPs; Withheld Federal Chesapeake Bay funds for BMPs and Conservation District Staff; Threatened to increase Discharge Standards and Requirements on POTWs and CAFO Farms.

DEP Update – BMP Self Reporting BMP Self-Reporting PACD Online Survey PACD developed, with DEP support AND review/input by many… This is “live” now and any farm can report this information. Multiple organizations have “signed – on” with PACD: PA Farm Bureau; PennAg Industries; PA Grange; PA Farmers Union; PA Association of Sustainable Agriculture. Not every BMP … but MMPs because they are “new” and specific ones that cannot be collected in better ways. Manure Management Plans are MOST IMPORTANT. Now “Countable” in the Bay model NOT COVER CROPs or NO-Till BECAUSE THERE ARE BETTER WAYS TO DO IT. The self-reported information provided will not be reported directly to DEP and DEP will not be given anyone’s name or address. However, DEP will be given county level data that will help document PA’s farmer’s efforts to improve local water quality. It will also create a more accurate picture of PA’s agricultural improvements in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. PLEASE NOTE – even if PA counted all BMPs, this will not “fix” the Bay or meet all water quality goals. Better counting of what we do is important, but it is not the only thing necessary.

DEP Update - Regional Assessments Name County   Size Farms NCRO Kaiser Run (Upper Buffalo Creek) Union CWF 2.88 sq.mi. ~22 NWRO UNTs Kahle Lake Venanago/ Clarion 4.49 sq.mi. ~12 NERO Mahantango Creek (Headwaters) Schuylkill ~ 19 sq.mi. ~21 SCRO Beaver Run (Yellow Creek Watershed) Bedford HQ-CWF ~10sq. mi. ~31 SERO UNT Tohicken Bucks TSF 5.1 sq.mi. Deer Run 3.4 sq.mi.  ~41 Wolf Run 1.16 sq.mi. SWRO Goose Run (Plum Creek Watershed) Indiana ~3 sq. mi. ~ 12 2012 – Soft Run Mifflin County 19 Farms; 6 WQ Problems; One CO&A and $500 fine 2014 - Six Regions / Six Watersheds DEP NCRO - Kaiser Run (Union County) DEP NWRO – UNTs to Kahle Lake (Venango / Clarion County) DEP NERO – Mahantango Creek (Schuylkill County) DEP SCRO – Beaver Run (Bedford County) DEP SERO – Deer/Wolf Runs / UNT Tohicken Creek (Bucks County) DEP SWRO – Goose Run (Indiana County) Activities / Results 154 Farms Assessed 35 Farms with Significant Water Quality Concerns 13 Farms w/ Field Orders Significant Findings 45 had Manure Management Plans (31%) 40 in Bay Watershed (50%) Mostly Positive Feedback $600,000

Contact Information: Ryan Kostival PA Department of Environmental Protection Bureau of Conservation and Restoration PO Box 8555 Harrisburg, PA 17105-8555 rkostival@pa.gov (717) 772-5658 www.depweb.state.pa.us