1662 Joint public meetings and public hearings on proposed rulemakings affecting agriculture; meetings change

ENVIRONMENTAL
QUALITY BOARD
STATE CONSERVATION COMMISSION

Joint Public Meetings and Public Hearings on Proposed Rulemakings Affecting Agriculture; Meetings Change

[34 Pa.B. 4985]

   The Environmental Quality Board (Board) and the State Conservation Commission (Commission) will hold two joint public information meetings and two public hearings regarding two separate, but closely related proposed rulemakings. The Commission's proposed amendments to 25 Pa. Code Chapter 83, Subchapter D (relating to nutrient management) under the Nutrient Management Act (3 P. S. §§ 1701--1719) were published at 34 Pa.B. 4361 (August 7, 2004). The Board's proposedamendments to 25 Pa. Code Chapters 91 and 92 (relating to general provisions; and National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permitting, monitoring and compliance) under The Clean Streams Law (35 P. S. §§ 691.1--691.1001) were published at 34 Pa.B. 4353 (August 7, 2004).

   The Board's proposed rulemaking affects all farms that store manure or apply it to their land. They also regulate concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), the largest farms in this Commonwealth. The primary purpose of the proposed CAFO rulemaking is to allow the Commonwealth to maintain delegation of the Federal National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System CAFO program.

   The Commission's proposed rulemaking changes existing regulations affecting concentrated animal operations based on advances in the sciences of agronomics and manure management, as well as public concerns with livestock agriculture. Currently, 840 operations are subject to the existing nutrient management regulations and an additional 950 farms have voluntarily complied with the requirements.

Joint Public Information Meetings

   The Board and the Commission will jointly hold two public information meetings to discuss the proposed rulemakings and answer questions. The public information meetings will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, September 13, 2004, at the Holiday Inn, 5401 Carlisle Pike, Mechanicsburg, PA and on Thursday, September 16, 2004, at the Ramada Inn, 191 United Road, DuBois, PA. No formal record will be kept at the public information meetings.

Joint Public Hearings

   The Board and the Commission will jointly hold two public hearings for the purpose of accepting comments on the proposed rulemakings. The public hearings will be held at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, October 13, 2004, at the Holiday Inn, 5401 Carlisle Pike, Mechanicsburg, PA and at 6 p.m. on Thursday, October 14, 2004, at the Ramada Inn, 191 United Road, DuBois, PA.

   Individuals who would like to present testimony at the joint public hearings must contact Natalie Shepherd, Environmental Quality Board, P. O. Box 8477, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8477, [phone]; or Douglas Goodlander, State Conservation Commission, Agriculture Building, Room 405, 2301 North Cameron Street, Harrisburg, PA 17110, [phone] at least 1 week in advance of the public hearing to reserve a time to present testimony. Oral testimony will be limited to 10 minutes for each witness. The Board and the Commission prefer that witnesses use this time to summarize written testimony. Witnesses should specify which sections of which rulemaking they are commenting on when providing comments. Witnesses are requested to submit three written copies of their statement at the public hearing. Each organization is requested to designate one witness to present testimony on its behalf.

   Persons with a disability who wish to attend the public information meetings or public hearings and require an auxiliary aid, service or other accommodation to participate should contact Natalie Shepherd at [phone] or through the Pennsylvania AT&T Relay Service at [phone] (TDD) to discuss how their needs can be accommodated.

Written Comments

   Interested persons are also invited to submit comments, suggestions or objections regarding the Board's proposed rulemakings to the Environmental Quality Board, P. O. Box 8477, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8477 (express mail: Rachel Carson State Office Building, 15th Floor, 400 Market Street, Harrisburg, PA 17105-2301). Interested persons are also invited to submit comments, suggestions or objections regarding the Commission's proposed rulemakings to the State Conservation Commission, Agriculture Building, Room 405, 2301 North Cameron Street, Harrisburg, PA 17110.

   Comments submitted by facsimile will not be accepted. Comments must be received by the Board and the Commission by November 5, 2004. Interested persons may also submit a summary of their comments to the Board or the Commission. The summary may not exceed one page in length and must also be received by November 5, 2004. The one-page summary will be provided to each member of the Board or the Commission in the agenda packet distributed prior to the meeting at which the final rulemaking will be considered.

Electronic Comments

   Comments may be submitted by e-mail to the Board at [e-mail] or to the Commission at [e-mail] and must be received by November 5, 2004. A subject heading of the proposed rulemaking (Nutrient Management, CAFO/All Farms, or both) and a return name and address must be included in each transmission. If the sender does not receive an acknowledgement of electronic comments within 2 working days, the comments should be retransmitted to ensure receipt.

KATHLEEN A. MCGINTY,   
Chairperson
Environmental Quality Board

DENNIS C WOLF,   
Chairperson
State Conservation Commission

[Pa.B. Doc. No. 04-1662. Filed for public inspection September 3, 2004, 9:00 a.m.]