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

2. DEP Regional Offices

3. 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

4. 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.

5. CAFO Program Statistics

6. CAFO Program Statistics

7. CAFO Program Statistics

8. 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

9. CAFO Winter Notification Form
Form revised for Winter 2015/16 and available of DEP CAFO web page. Submitted via mail, fax, or
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

10. #CAFOs Submitting Forms CAFO Primary Animal Type
Winter Notice 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

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. 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
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

14. Contact Information: Ryan Kostival PA Department of Environmental Protection Bureau of Conservation and Restoration PO Box 8555 Harrisburg, PA (717)