Exempted Hog Farm First New Facility Allowed Under Moratorium

North

RALEIGH -- Qualifying under a legislative exemption, the first new hog operation in North Carolina has been permitted since a moratorium was established last August.

The Division of Water Quality on Monday permitted the Winters Tract-Grady Farm off State Road 1301 near Warsaw. The 6,600-head feeder to finish operation qualified for an exemption under House Bill 515, which allows farms that entered into a "bona fide" contract prior to March 1, 1997.

The owner, Maxwell Foods Inc. of Goldsboro, signed a construction contract Jan. 9, 1997 with Hog Slats Inc. of Newton Grove.

Maxwell Foods submitted the permit application Sept. 12, 1997 to DWQ, 16 days after the General Assembly enacted the Clean Water Responsibility Act (H.B. 515) and the accompanying 18-month moratorium on new and expanding swine operations.

DWQ approved the farm's certified animal waste management plan, along with H.B. 515 conditions that the operation meet new siting criteria such as 1,500 feet from residences and 2,500 feet from schools, churches and hospitals.

Currently, the division is reviewing applications for several other new and expanding hog operations seeking exemptions under the Clean Water Responsibility Act .

Following are exemptions that the legislation allows:

Construction for repairs;

Construction for in kind replacements;

Construction to comply with applicable animal waste management rules;

Construction to bring the facility to its certified animal design capacity;

Expansion or construction for facilities that were issued permits prior to the effective date of the Aug. 27, 1997 legislation;

Expansion or construction if the owner has, prior to March 1, 1997 -- 1) Either laid a foundation for a component of a swine farm, lagoon or animal waste management system; 2) Entered into a written contract for the construction or expansion of the swine farm, lagoon or animal waste management system; or 3) Been approved for a loan or line of credit to finance the construction or expansion and has been obligated or expended funds; and

Construction of an innovative animal waste management system that does not employ an anaerobic lagoon.

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Date Posted: March25

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