The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)’s Division of Water Resources is holding two public meetings this week on draft Animal Waste Management Digester System General Permits, an in-person public meeting on Tuesday in Statesville and an online meeting (via Webex) on Thursday.  Members of the public are invited to attend and submit comments on the draft permits. Spanish interpretation will be provided during the Webex on a call-in line provided below.

The three draft General Permits cover the installation and operation of digester systems at existing swine, cattle and wet poultry operations. The Digester System General Permit drafts are available online. Permits will be finalized by June 30, 2022, as directed by statute.

DEQ is conducting these meetings as part of its commitment to a transparent public engagement process during the development of the general permits. During this process, the Department held two technical stakeholder workgroup meetings and a virtual public input session in late 2021. A summary of the stakeholder workgroup and recording of the input session is available online. Two public meetings on the draft permits were held earlier this month in Sampson and Duplin counties.

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 in-person meeting will be able to sign up upon arrival.

A virtual meeting will also be held through Webex at 6 p.m. on April 21, 2022, for those unable to attend the in-person events:

Members of the public who wish to speak at the virtual meeting should sign up online by 4 p.m. on April 21.

For those who cannot attend the meetings, public input can be submitted until May 2, 2022 via email to PublicCommentsDWR@ncdenr.gov, or by leaving a voicemail at 919-707-9129.

Comments can also be mailed to the address listed below:

Currently, digester systems are processed as modifications to a facility’s existing permit. Section 11 of the 2021 Farm Act (Senate Bill 605) established specific requirements for the development of the Digester System General Permits. 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.

Additional information and updates on the stakeholder process are available online.