EPA Withdraws Proposal to Collect Information about Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations

EPA is withdrawing a proposed rule that would have required information to be submitted to the EPA about concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). EPA will instead use existing federal, state, and local sources of information to gather data about CAFOs and help ensure that CAFOs are implementing practices that protect water quality. EPA also signed a memorandum of understanding with the Association of the Clean Water Administrators (ACWA) to facilitate the exchange of information. This collaborative effort will focus on identifying CAFOs and obtaining pertinent information about CAFOs on a state-by-state basis for use by both ACWA members and EPA.

EPA sought public comment on the proposal, and in light of comments received from states regarding the amount of CAFO information states already have and include as part of the CAFO permitting process, the Agency is withdrawing the proposal to collect CAFO information by rule. More information is available at the following site: http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/afo/aforule.cfm#withdrawal