The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) and Department of Agriculture (DDA) will conduct a joint public hearing to receive and consider comments from the public on the reissuance of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) General Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) Permit Number DE 0051233 (Large, Medium, & Designated Poultry CAFO – Facilities with Land Application of Manure). This is a renewal of the permit originally authorized on April 30, 2019.

The hearing was requested as part of comments received by the Department regarding this permit during the public review period. DNREC proposes to issue the CAFO General Permit renewal, subject to certain effluent limitations and conditions, under Section 9.5 of DNREC’s Regulations Governing the Control of Water Pollution.

A CAFO permit is a point source permit authorized by the Federal Clean Water Act that is required by Federal and State regulations for CAFOs that discharge pollutants into waters of the state, including streams or drainage ditches. In the State of Delaware, DNREC and DDA cooperate in implementing the CAFO program. The purpose of the CAFO permit is to regulate activities at CAFOs involving the management of nutrients and to help improve and maintain the quality of Waters of the State.

Once a CAFO General Permit is issued, CAFO operators that meet applicable requirements in Section 9.5 of DNREC’s Regulations Governing the Control of Water Pollution must obtain permit coverage by submitting a completed Notice of Intent and Nutrient Management Plan for DNREC and DDA review. Notices of Intent and Nutrient Management Plans are themselves publicly noticed prior to authorization being issued.

For additional information on the above matter, and to review the draft renewal of the CAFO General Permit, fact sheet and supporting documents online, visit the DNREC public hearings web page at de.gov/dnrechearings or contact Jessica Brewer at Jessica.Brewer@delaware.gov or 302-739-9946.

Public Hearing

The virtual public hearing will be held on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, beginning at 6 p.m. A link to the hearing can be found on the DNREC Public Hearing site at de.gov/dnrechearings. If prompted for a password, please use: 200256. To access the audio-only portion of the hearing, dial 1-646-931-3860 and enter the Meeting ID 896 6792 4675 (Passcode: 200256). Language assistance is available by request within 10 days of the hearing. Closed captioning is available via the Zoom virtual meeting tool.

Those wishing to offer verbal comments during DNREC public hearings must pre-register no later than noon on the date of the hearing at de.gov/dnreccomments or by telephone at 302-739-9001.

DNREC will accept public comments through February 4, 2026. Comments will be accepted in written form via email to DNRECHearingComments@delaware.gov, using the online form at de.gov/dnreccomments or by U.S. mail to the following address:

Lisa A. Vest, Hearing Officer
Office of the Secretary
Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control
89 Kings Highway
Dover, DE 19901

Related Topics:  agriculture, cafo, concentrated animal feeding, NPDES, permitting and regulation, public comments, public hearing, public notice, water