2022 Digester System General Permits About the 2022 general permits The Division of Water Resources has been directed by the North Carolina General Assembly to develop general permits by July 1, 2022, for existing Animal Feeding Operations (AFO) that intend to build and operate a digester system. Senate Bill 605, known as the 2021 Farm Act, describes the general permit requirements. Currently, digester systems are processed as modifications to a facility’s existing permit. The new general permits will include all of the existing and enforceable requirements of the 2019 State General Animal Waste Management Permits, including developing and maintaining a Certified Animal Waste Management Plan, and complying with siting, buffer, testing, inspection and reporting requirements. The specific provisions of the new general permits for digester systems will be determined during the permit development process. DEQ is committed to public involvement during development of these new general permits, and will conduct a stakeholder process and public meetings in 2021 and 2022. Animal waste digester systems Animal waste digester systems are a combination of animal waste digestion equipment (digester) and covered lagoons that process animal waste and collect gases from animal waste. Learn more about the process from the Environmental Protection Agency. General Permit development process The new general permits will apply to currently permitted facilities seeking to add digester systems. The Department, under the 2021 NC Farm Act, maintains the authority to require individual permits for facilities when necessary. Input process Event Type of Feedback Timeframe Stakeholder Process Technical Workgroup Sessions Fall 2021 Stakeholder Process Public Meeting/Forum - oral, written and electronic comments accepted Fall/Winter 2021 Public Comment Period Public Meetings - oral, written and electronic comments accepted Winter 2021/Spring 2022 Summary of stakeholder meetings Recording of December 14, 2021, public input meeting Spring 2022 public hearings The upcoming public meetings on the Draft General Permits will begin at 6 p.m. The meetings will be facilitated by an independent moderator. Members of the public who wish to speak at the meetings will be able to sign up upon arrival. Date and time Location Speaker sign-up April 5, 2022 6 p.m. James Sprunt Community College, Monk Auditorium 133 James Sprunt Drive, Kenansville, NC 28349 (Duplin County) On-site April 7, 2022 6 p.m. Sampson County Exposition Center 414 Warsaw Road, Clinton, NC 28328 (Sampson County) On-site April 19, 2022 6 p.m. Statesville Civic Center 300 S. Center Street, Statesville, NC 28677 (Iredell County) On-site April 21, 2022 6 p.m. Online via Webexhttps://bit.ly/3FFGRLL | Event number: 2436 024 6769 Event password: NCDEQ (62337 from phones) Join by phone: 415-655-0003 | Access code: 2436 024 6769 Línea telefónica de interpretación en español:415-655-0003 Access code: 242 976 22930 Sign up online by 4 p.m. on April 21 Recordings of public meetings Presentation Draft permits for public comment Permit Draft - AWG400000 Swine: Redline | Clean | Español Permit Draft - AWG500000 Cattle: Redline | Clean | Español Permit Draft - AWG600000 Wet Poultry: Redline | Clean | Español Public Notice | Aviso De Audiencia Pública Press release (2.1.2022) | Comunicado de prensa Draft Environmental Justice Report Existing permits As of Sept. 27, 2021, out of 2,083 total permitted swine facilities in North Carolina, there are 15 facilities which have one or more animal waste digester systems. List of Permits Additional information Swine Biogas Information Water Quality Permitting Laserfiche files Files Public Notice-DWR---AVISO DE AUDIENCIA PÚBLIC_NCDEQ_DWR_final.pdf PDF • 120.01 KB - February 01, 2022 Water WetPoultryDigester_DraftGP 2.1.22.pdf PDF • 396.87 KB - February 01, 2022 Water CattleDigester_DraftGP 2.1.22.pdf PDF • 397.38 KB - February 01, 2022 Water SwineDigester_DraftGP 2.1.22.pdf PDF • 375.65 KB - February 01, 2022 Water NCDEQ DWR digester permits public notice 2022.pdf PDF • 120.63 KB - February 01, 2022 Water WetPoultry_redline_20220201.pdf PDF • 406.05 KB - February 01, 2022 Water Cattle_redline_20220201.pdf PDF • 406.35 KB - February 01, 2022 Water Swine_redline_20220201.pdf PDF • 384.47 KB - February 01, 2022 Water Biogas General Permit DRAFT EJ Report 2.2.22.pdf PDF • 4.82 MB - February 02, 2022 Reports Release - AFO general permits public hearings SPANISH_final.pdf PDF • 858.52 KB - February 18, 2022 Water DRAFT WetPoultryDigesterGP_Spanish (2).pdf PDF • 443.39 KB - March 09, 2022 Water DRAFT CattleDigesterGP_Spanish (2).pdf PDF • 449.67 KB - March 09, 2022 Water DRAFT SwineDigester_DraftGP-Spanish_0.pdf PDF • 450.71 KB - March 09, 2022 Water
2022 Digester System General Permits About the 2022 general permits The Division of Water Resources has been directed by the North Carolina General Assembly to develop general permits by July 1, 2022, for existing Animal Feeding Operations (AFO) that intend to build and operate a digester system. Senate Bill 605, known as the 2021 Farm Act, describes the general permit requirements. Currently, digester systems are processed as modifications to a facility’s existing permit. The new general permits will include all of the existing and enforceable requirements of the 2019 State General Animal Waste Management Permits, including developing and maintaining a Certified Animal Waste Management Plan, and complying with siting, buffer, testing, inspection and reporting requirements. The specific provisions of the new general permits for digester systems will be determined during the permit development process. DEQ is committed to public involvement during development of these new general permits, and will conduct a stakeholder process and public meetings in 2021 and 2022. Animal waste digester systems Animal waste digester systems are a combination of animal waste digestion equipment (digester) and covered lagoons that process animal waste and collect gases from animal waste. Learn more about the process from the Environmental Protection Agency. General Permit development process The new general permits will apply to currently permitted facilities seeking to add digester systems. The Department, under the 2021 NC Farm Act, maintains the authority to require individual permits for facilities when necessary. Input process Event Type of Feedback Timeframe Stakeholder Process Technical Workgroup Sessions Fall 2021 Stakeholder Process Public Meeting/Forum - oral, written and electronic comments accepted Fall/Winter 2021 Public Comment Period Public Meetings - oral, written and electronic comments accepted Winter 2021/Spring 2022 Summary of stakeholder meetings Recording of December 14, 2021, public input meeting Spring 2022 public hearings The upcoming public meetings on the Draft General Permits will begin at 6 p.m. The meetings will be facilitated by an independent moderator. Members of the public who wish to speak at the meetings will be able to sign up upon arrival. Date and time Location Speaker sign-up April 5, 2022 6 p.m. James Sprunt Community College, Monk Auditorium 133 James Sprunt Drive, Kenansville, NC 28349 (Duplin County) On-site April 7, 2022 6 p.m. Sampson County Exposition Center 414 Warsaw Road, Clinton, NC 28328 (Sampson County) On-site April 19, 2022 6 p.m. Statesville Civic Center 300 S. Center Street, Statesville, NC 28677 (Iredell County) On-site April 21, 2022 6 p.m. Online via Webexhttps://bit.ly/3FFGRLL | Event number: 2436 024 6769 Event password: NCDEQ (62337 from phones) Join by phone: 415-655-0003 | Access code: 2436 024 6769 Línea telefónica de interpretación en español:415-655-0003 Access code: 242 976 22930 Sign up online by 4 p.m. on April 21 Recordings of public meetings Presentation Draft permits for public comment Permit Draft - AWG400000 Swine: Redline | Clean | Español Permit Draft - AWG500000 Cattle: Redline | Clean | Español Permit Draft - AWG600000 Wet Poultry: Redline | Clean | Español Public Notice | Aviso De Audiencia Pública Press release (2.1.2022) | Comunicado de prensa Draft Environmental Justice Report Existing permits As of Sept. 27, 2021, out of 2,083 total permitted swine facilities in North Carolina, there are 15 facilities which have one or more animal waste digester systems. List of Permits Additional information Swine Biogas Information Water Quality Permitting Laserfiche files Files Public Notice-DWR---AVISO DE AUDIENCIA PÚBLIC_NCDEQ_DWR_final.pdf PDF • 120.01 KB - February 01, 2022 Water WetPoultryDigester_DraftGP 2.1.22.pdf PDF • 396.87 KB - February 01, 2022 Water CattleDigester_DraftGP 2.1.22.pdf PDF • 397.38 KB - February 01, 2022 Water SwineDigester_DraftGP 2.1.22.pdf PDF • 375.65 KB - February 01, 2022 Water NCDEQ DWR digester permits public notice 2022.pdf PDF • 120.63 KB - February 01, 2022 Water WetPoultry_redline_20220201.pdf PDF • 406.05 KB - February 01, 2022 Water Cattle_redline_20220201.pdf PDF • 406.35 KB - February 01, 2022 Water Swine_redline_20220201.pdf PDF • 384.47 KB - February 01, 2022 Water Biogas General Permit DRAFT EJ Report 2.2.22.pdf PDF • 4.82 MB - February 02, 2022 Reports Release - AFO general permits public hearings SPANISH_final.pdf PDF • 858.52 KB - February 18, 2022 Water DRAFT WetPoultryDigesterGP_Spanish (2).pdf PDF • 443.39 KB - March 09, 2022 Water DRAFT CattleDigesterGP_Spanish (2).pdf PDF • 449.67 KB - March 09, 2022 Water DRAFT SwineDigester_DraftGP-Spanish_0.pdf PDF • 450.71 KB - March 09, 2022 Water
Public Notice-DWR---AVISO DE AUDIENCIA PÚBLIC_NCDEQ_DWR_final.pdf PDF • 120.01 KB - February 01, 2022 Water
Release - AFO general permits public hearings SPANISH_final.pdf PDF • 858.52 KB - February 18, 2022 Water