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PA Bulletin, Doc. No. 11-1826

NOTICES

Manure Management Manual

[41 Pa.B. 5819]
[Saturday, October 29, 2011]

 The Department of Environmental Protection (Department) by this notice is providing the final version of the Manure Management Manual; Document No. 361-0300-002, October 29, 2011 (Manual). The Field Application of Manure supplement to the Manual is established under 25 Pa. Code § 91.36(b) (relating to pollution control and prevention at agricultural operations) and provides the opportunity for small farms to develop and implement manure management plans for land application of manure, consistent with the criteria provided in this supplement as an alternative to obtaining either approval or a permit from the Department.

 These changes update the Field Application of Manure to current State and Federal standards. The last update of this Manual was in 2001. All farming operations that use manure will meet revised standards in the protection of water quality. The revision is part of the Department's approach to address manure management issues at agricultural operations that are not regulated under the Pennsylvania Nutrient Management Program or the Federal Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation Program.

 The revisions to the Manual are part of the Commonwealth's Phase 1 Watershed Implementation Plan and the Department's Chesapeake Bay Water Quality Initiative that has been submitted to the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Implementation of these revisions is consistent with these documents.

 The draft version of the Manual was published at 40 Pa.B. 4713 (August 14, 2010). The 90-day comment period ended on November 13, 2010. There were 435 comments from 164 commenters. The Department has developed a Comment and Response Document which summarizes the comments received and the Department's response to each comment. The final version of the Manual reflects changes made to the draft Manual based on comments received, updating and correcting typographical errors and improving formatting, photos and drawings for clarity.

 The Department will be conducting training of technical service staffs including National Resources Conservation Service staff and conservation district staff, as well as providing outreach to the agricultural community to improve awareness of the revised Manual. The Department will be partnering with Pennsylvania State University, county conservation districts and others to assist with agricultural outreach. Included in this effort will be promotion of the PA One Stop program developed by Pennsylvania State University as a tool to assist farmers with the development of manure management plans.

 For a copy of the revised guidance Manual, the Rate Charts/Instructions as well as a copy of a fill-in-the-blank Workbook, visit www.dep.state.pa.us (keyword: Manure Management). Questions regarding this final guidance document can be directed to Kenn Pattison, (717) 787-5267 or kpattison@pa.gov.

MICHAEL L. KRANCER, 
Secretary

[Pa.B. Doc. No. 11-1826. Filed for public inspection October 28, 2011, 9:00 a.m.]


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