Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) Individual Permit: Am I Regulated?

Facilities Likely to be Regulated by an Individual Permit

If any of the following statements are true, you must obtain coverage under this individual permit.

• Your CAFO is within one mile of coastal natural resource areas.
• Your CAFO is a dairy CAFO and in Segment 1226 or 1255 of the Bosque River watershed (which are a major sole-source impairment zone).
• Your CAFO is, or will be, in the protection zone of a sole-source surface drinking water supply .
• Your CAFO production area or land management unit is listed on the current Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved Clean Water Act (CWA) § 303(d) List as an impaired watershed where the total maximum daily load (TMDL) plan requires water quality protection measures more stringent than those required by the CAFO general permit.
• Your CAFO is required by the executive director to obtain and operate under an individual permit due to significant site-specific environmental concerns.
• Your CAFO has a compliance history rating of “unsatisfactory.” (See About Compliance Histories.)

If none of those statements are true, you may quality for coverage under the CAFO General Permit No. TXG920000. Visit the CAFO General Permit webpage for additional resources on eligibility and how to apply for coverage.

How to Apply for an Individual Permit

If you qualify for this individual permit, include these items in your application package:

• the Individual Permit Application for a CAFO (Form TCEQ-00728)

• a completed technical information packet, including technical information on the manure and wastewater management system that you will use ( form TCEQ-00760)

• Core Data Form (TCEQ-10400) - Instructions to Fill Core Data Form (TCEQ-10400-inst)

• A Public Involvement Plan Form (TCEQ-20960) – Public Involvement Plan Instructions (TCEQ-20960-inst) Note: only required for new applicants or major amendment applications received on or after November 1, 2022

• Completed Plain language summaries (English and Spanish). Download a copy of the template.

Submit one original application package to the Water Quality Applications Team at the address on the application.

Submit one electronic copy of the application package at https://ftps.tceq.texas.gov/ to WQDeCopy@tceq.texas.gov .

Submit one copy of the application package to the TCEQ regional office in the region where the facility is to be sited.

After the Application Has Been Submitted

After the application is declared administratively complete, you will receive a Notice of Receipt of Application and Intent to Obtain Water Quality Permit (NORI) for you to publish in a local newspaper. You may need to translate the NORI into Spanish. (Spanish language templates).

After the application is declared technically complete, and if the TCEQ executive director is considering approving the permit:

• You will receive a Notice of Application and Preliminary Decision (NAPD) to publish in a local newspaper (second notice) indicating the preliminary decision to issue the permit. You may need to translate the NAPD to Spanish. (Spanish language templates)
• Provide a complete copy of the application package and all correspondence for review by the public at a public place located within the county.

If there is significant public interest, public meetings and hearings may also be required.

For more information on the requirements for CAFOs please refer to Title 30, Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 321, Subchapter B (HTML).

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