Applying for Coverage under General Permit WQG200000

If you own or operate a facility that composts livestock manure that is hauled in from elsewhere, before you dispose of wastewater from that operation adjacent to any water in the state of Texas, you must:

1. Read General Permit (WQG200000) to make sure it applies to your situation. The Fact Sheet and Executive Director's Preliminary Decision is available. (Help with PDF.)

   • If the general permit does not apply, you might need to obtain an individual permit.

   • If the general permit does apply, continue with Step 2.

2. Review your facility’s compliance history ranking:

   • If your facility is new or has a ranking of “high” or “average,” continue to Step 3.

   • If the compliance history ranking is “poor,” then your facility is not eligible for coverage under a general permit. You must apply for an individual permit instead.

3. If you wish to apply for coverage under this general permit, submit a notification package, which includes:

   • A notice of intent (NOI)

   • An application fee ($100) submitted to:

     Financial Administrative Division Revenue Section MC 214
     Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
     P.O. Box 13088
     Austin TX 78711-3088

     
     or paid online by ePay.

4. If you qualify for coverage under this general permit but would rather have an individual permit, you may request coverage under an individual permit instead.

Provisional coverage under this general permit begins 48 hours after the NOI is postmarked. From there, the application process continues as follows:

1. We will review the NOI. If it is incomplete, we will send you a notice of deficiency (NOD) to request the needed information. (You will not hear from us if the NOI is complete.)

2. You must prepare an engineering report as described in the permit. You must submit this report to us within 90 days of when you submitted the NOI.

3. We will review your engineering report and send you one of these responses:

   • If everything is acceptable, an acknowledgment letter to authorize your coverage.

   • If information is incomplete or missing, an NOD to request the needed information. You will have 30 days to respond to this NOD.

   • If coverage has been denied, a denial letter.

Remember: Even if your operation no longer discharges wastewater, permit coverage will remain active until you request termination. If your coverage is active September 1 of any given year, you will owe a water quality fee for that year. See Proposed Increases to Three Water–Related Fees for more information.

If you have questions, please see our Contact Page or e-mail us at CAFO@tceq.texas.gov.