SECTION 35:17-3-6. License application for new facilities or expanding operations

(a)   In addition to the items required by the Oklahoma Swine Feeding Operations Act, the application for a swine feeding operation license of a new facility or an expanding operation shall contain, as a minimum, the following information:

(1)   Name and address of the owner of the facility.

(2)   Name and address of the swine feeding operation, including driving directions from the nearest municipality and legal description of the facility.

(3)   Name and address of the operator if other than the owner.

(4)   Capacity in swine animal units and number and type of swine housed or confined.

(5)   If owner is a firm, partnership, corporation, or other legal entity, the name and address of each member with an ownership interest of ten percent (10%) or more.

(6)   If owner is a corporation, the name and address of the corporation and the name and address of each officer and registered agent of the corporation.

(7)   Environmental history of the past three (3) years of any swine feeding operation or CAFO established or operated by the owner or any other operation with common ownership in Oklahoma or any other state, including all citations, administrative orders or penalties, civil injunctions or other civil actions, and criminal actions, past, current, and ongoing, taken by any person, agency, or court relating to noncompliance with any environmental law, rule, agency order, or court action in conjunction with the operation of a swine feeding operation.

(8)   List of all environmental awards or citations received or pollution prevention or voluntary remediation efforts undertaken by the owner.

(9)   Copy of deed, contract to purchase, or option to purchase the proposed site of the facility, waste retention structures, and land application sites. If land application sites are not owned by the applicant, provide a notarized signed copy of spreading or effluent agreement.

(10)   A map of all property owners within one (1) mile of the facility and waste retention structures and a corresponding mailing list. Applications for LMFOs with more than two thousand (2,000) swine animal units shall include a map of all property owners within two (2) miles of the facility and waste retention structures and a corresponding mailing list.

(11)   A plat showing:

(A)   Location of the facility, waste retention structures, and all land application sites.

(B)   Location and distance of all occupied residences within one (1) mile of the facility and waste retention structures. The distances shall be measured from the nearest point of the waste retention structure to the nearest point of the occupied residence. Applications for LMFOs with more than two thousand (2,000) swine animal units shall include the location and distance of all occupied residences within two (2) miles of the facility and waste retention structures.

(C)   Location and distance of all occupied residences within six-hundred (600) feet of any land application site. The distances shall be measured from the nearest point of the land application site to the nearest point of the occupied residence.

(D)   Location and distance of all existing public or private drinking water wells within four-hundred (400) feet of any land application site. The distance shall be measured from the nearest point of the land application site to the nearest point of the drinking water well.

(E)   All open roads surrounding the facility and all land application sites.

(12)   All LMFOs shall submit an affidavit certifying compliance with applicable setbacks found in Sections 20-19 and 20-21 of Title 2 of the Oklahoma Statutes.

(13)   If applicable, a copy of the written waiver by a property owner, municipality, or governing body releasing specified setback requirements as provided by the Act.

(14)   To assist the Department, applications for LMFOs shall include an introductory narrative summary describing the facility and operation. The description shall include the following general information:

(A)   Both narrative and legal location of the facility, including driving directions.

(B)   The type of operation, including whether a BGF, nursery, finisher, or other type.

(C)   The type and number of swine planned for the facility.

(D)   The planned swine waste management system and structures.

(E)   A general narrative description of planned swine growth and movement activities.

(F)   Other general information the owner believes to be helpful to the Department in beginning review of the application.

(15)   Characterization of the physical and environmental setup of the facility, including but not limited to the following:

(A)   Description of topography using a current USGS 7.5 minute topographic map highlighting the location of waters of the state within three (3) miles of the facility, waste retention structures and all land application sites, an outline of the watershed drainage area, and arrows indicating general direction of surface water drainage from the facility, waste retention sites, and land application sites. Applications for LMFOs shall indicate all manmade terracing and other changes to the topography of the site.

(B)   Soil map showing soil types at the facility, waste retention structure, and all land application sites. Applications for LMFOs shall provide a description of soil resources including soil survey information of the licensed area containing the following:

(i)   A map delineating different soil types on a scaled serial photograph.

(ii)   Location of all soil sampling sites.

(iii)   Soil description of all soils used for land application pursuant to USDA description.

(iv)   An assessment of suitability of the soil for land application purposes. The assessment shall be certified by a Professional Engineer registered in the State of Oklahoma.

(C)   100 year flood plain map, if applicable. In no event shall a waste storage structure be located within the 100 year flood plain as established by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

(D)   Applications for LMFOs shall provide a description of existing land uses and land use classification pursuant to local law or ordinance, if any, of the proposed license area and adjacent areas. The burden shall be upon the owner to comply with local and use law and ordinances.

(E)   Applications for LMFOs shall provide a description of geologic information, including at a minimum:

(i)   The geology of the proposed license area down to and including the first aquifer, but not more than one hundred (100) feet below the bottom of the waste retention structure.

(ii)   Geological information based on published geological literature and subsurface investigation otherwise required for the license application, including lithology from water wells on site and seismicity information. Geologic information may be provided by an agency review of the project performed by the Oklahoma Geological Survey and provided to the Department with the license application.

(F)   Applications for LMFOs shall include a description of water resources, including the following:

(i)   Quality of surface water resources.

(I)   Identification of all surface waters of the state within a three (3) mile distance of the waste retention structure as identified on a current USGS 7.5 minute topographic map.

(II)   Location, name, and description of all surface water bodies identified in (I) including streams, lakes, discharges, and impoundments within the three (3) mile radius.

(III)   Beneficial uses, limitations, and remarks of all listed streams in the drainage area of the facility as listed in Appendix A of Chapter 45 of Title 785 of the Oklahoma Administrative Code.

(ii)   Quality of groundwater resources.

(I)   An inventory of all existing and abandoned wells, springs, and known or reasonably discoverable test holes.

(II)   Groundwater description shall include a measurement of seasonal static water levels, direction of flow, and delineation of recharge areas pursuant to the Oklahoma Water Resources Board or other agency's data.

(III)   Baseline sampling for ground waters accessible at the facility shall include electrical conductivity, pH, ammonium-nitrogen, nitrate-nitrogen, total phosphorus, and fecal coliform bacteria.

(G)   Applications for LMFOs shall include a description of the climatological factors that are representative of the proposed license area and adjacent areas as available from published sources, including average seasonal precipitation, average direction and velocity of prevailing winds, seasonal temperature changes, average evaporation rate, and other information requested by the Department.

(H)   Applications for LMFOs shall include a map delineating existing vegetation types and a description of the plant communities within the proposed permit area and adjacent areas pursuant to information available from the Oklahoma Biological Survey.

(I)   Applications for LMFOs shall include a description of fish and wildlife resources information for the license area and adjacent areas. The scope and level of detail to be provided may be expanded by the Department in consultation with State and Federal agencies with responsibility for fish and wildlife propagation. Site specific information necessary to address the respective species shall be required when the license area or adjacent areas are likely to include endangered or threatened species of plants or animals or their critical habitat.

(J)   Applications for LMFOs shall include an identification and description of cultural and historical resources listed on the National Register and known archeological features as found in the Oklahoma Archeological Survey and Oklahoma State Historic Preservation Society of those located within the proposed license area.

(16)   Report from an independent soil testing laboratory containing the following:

(A)   Site map showing the location of all soil borings in relation to the facility and waste retention structure.

(i)   The test boring shall be in the immediate vicinity of the proposed waste retention structure.

(ii)   Bore holes shall be left open for a minimum of 48 hours for the groundwater to recover.

(iii)   All bore holes shall be plugged according to Oklahoma Water Resources Board requirements.

(B)   Soil tests per ASTM standards on all soils to be used in construction of the liner, with the following procedures and results reported:

(i)   Grain size particle distribution analysis according to ASTM standards.

(ii)   A standard Proctor compaction test based on ASTM D 698 procedure.

(iii)   Perform Atterberg limits test per ASTM standards (ASTM D 4318).

(iv)   Permeability tests on remolded samples compacted at ninety-five percent (95%) of standard Proctor maximum dry density at optimum moisture content conducted in accordance with ASTM D 5084 for the measurement of Hydraulic Conductivity of Saturated Porous Materials using a Flexible Wall Permeameter.

(v)   Laboratory tests of representative samples presented in summary tables and on boring logs.

(vi)   Applications for LMFOs shall include the basis for estimating available volume of soil (ft) to be used in the soil liner. Estimated values shall be verified in the field during construction.

(C)   Provide a soil boring log showing lithology, the above test results, and the classification of soils based on the Unified Soil Classification system.

(D)   USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) soil testing standards and procedures shall only be substituted if the retention structure is designed by USDA NRCS Engineers.

(E)   Where required by the Oklahoma Water Resources Board, all applications for LMFOs shall include a copy of a properly prepared Multi-Purpose Completion Form as submitted to the Oklahoma Water Resources Board for all soils investigation.

(17)   All applications for LMFOs shall provide documentation relating to and verifying that a minimum ten (10) foot separation exists between the bottom of each waste retention structure and the highest annual or seasonal level of groundwater elevation at the waste retention structure site based on all data available, including the perched water table and regional water table or aquifer. The perched water table shall include all local zones of saturation above the regional water table.

(A)   Documentation of a ten (10) foot separation shall be established by submission of a soil log from a soil boring extending a minimum of ten (10) feet below the bottom of all waste retention structures to ascertain the presence of groundwater or bedrock.

(B)   Documentation containing a statement from a Professional Engineer registered in the state of Oklahoma certifying existence of the ten (10) foot separation distance.

(18)   Laboratory test reports showing the amount of Nitrogen as Nitrate and total Phosphorous contained in the following:

(A)   Groundwater from all existing water wells located at the facility and land application sites.

(B)   All surface water impoundments located at the facility and land application sites.

(C)   Composite soil samples from each land application site. Applications for LMFOs shall, at a minimum, include analysis of soils for electrical conductivity, pH, nitrate-nitrogen, ammonium-nitrogen, organic matter, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, available phosphorus, and total nitrogen. Additional parameters may be required upon request of the Department. A map showing the location of each soil sample shall be provided. All soil sampling at LMFOs shall be performed pursuant to one of the following procedures:

(i)   Soil sampling shall be conducted using Oklahoma State University Fact Sheet #PT 97-37 and F-2207, or current equivalents.

(ii)   A total of thirteen (13) soil samples shall be collected from each forty (40) acre land application area, one sample from each corner of a six hundred and sixty (660) foot or ten (10) acre grid, with one sample from the center of each grid. One single composite soil sample may be prepared for analysis if the proposed land application area is dominated by one soil type. Where land application is achieved by center pivot irrigation, only those grid points within the application area shall be sampled.

(19)   A Pollution Prevention Plan (PPP) which contains a Swine Waste Management Plan, a carcass disposal plan, an erosion control plan, and Best Management Practices (BMPs). Applications for LMFOs shall also include an Odor Abatement Plan (OAP), a Pest Management Plan (PMP), and any other plan required by the Department.

(20)   A notarized sworn statement signed by the owner accepting full responsibility for properly closing all waste retention structures upon termination of the swine feeding operation.

(21)   All applications for LMFOs shall include a closure plan pursuant to OAR 35:17-3-25.

(22)   A financial statement declaring the financial ability of an owner to operate a swine feeding operation with a liquid waste management system in order to comply with the surety requirements of the Act. The financial statement shall be confidential and shall not be opened to public inspection.

(23)   A notarized certification signed by the person applying for a license, which states: "I certify under penalty of law this document and all attachments were prepared under my direction or supervision in accordance with a system designed to assure qualified personnel properly gathered and evaluated the information submitted. Based on my inquiry of the persons who manage the system, or those persons directly responsible for gathering the information, the information submitted is, to the best of my knowledge and belief, true, accurate, and complete. I am aware there are significant penalties for knowingly submitting false, inaccurate, or incomplete information, including the possibility of fines for each violation."

(24)   All documentation deemed necessary and requested by the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry to assure the quality of waters of the state are not compromised, including waste retention structure liner specifications and design plans providing a minimum of a ten (10) foot separation between the bottom of each liquid waste retention structure and the highest annual or seasonal elevation of groundwater for LMFOs and any other information required by the Department directly related to the construction, installation, or future modification or operation of a swine feeding operation.

(b)   All items listed in subpart (a) of this section shall be received by the Department before the application is considered complete. At the Department's discretion, no action will be taken on the application until all items have been received by the Department, including but not limited to presite inspections.

(c)   All supporting documentation regarding methods used for preparing the license application for an LMFO, including calculation of waste retention structure capacity and land application rates, shall be based on published methods approved by the Department. Any other methods shall be used only upon approval by the Department prior to submission of the license application.

(d)   A change in location of a waste retention structure for an LMFO after the initial application date shall result in a new application date assigned to that application and all requirements in effect at the new application date shall apply, including setbacks. A reconfiguration of barns or waste retention structures shall not be considered a change, but a new presite approval shall be obtained prior to the change. If the change in location is required by the Department, the initial application date continues to apply.

(e)   Adjacent areas for purposes of the LMFO application review shall include all property within one (1) mile of the facility, or two (2) miles if the facility is an LMFO with a capacity of more than two thousand (2,000) animal units.

[Source: Added at 15 Ok Reg 102, eff 10-13-97 (emergency); Added at 15 Ok Reg 2508, eff 6-25-98; Amended at 15 Ok Reg 4247, eff 9-2-98 (emergency); Amended at 16 Ok Reg 1717, eff 6-11-99; Amended at 25 Ok Reg 1795, eff 7-1-08; Amended at 29 Ok Reg 903, eff 7-1-12; Amended at 35 Ok Reg 761, eff 9-14-18]