DEQ will host public meetings on Digester System General Permits in April

RALEIGH – The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)’s Division of Water Resources will hold public meetings in Duplin and Sampson counties in April on draft Animal Waste Management Digester System General Permits. Members of the public are invited to attend and submit comments on the draft permits. A virtual meeting is being held April 21 for those who cannot attend an in-person meeting.

The three draft General Permits cover the installation and operation of digester systems at existing swine, cattle and wet poultry operations. The Digester System General Permit drafts are available online. Permits will be finalized by June 30, 2022, as directed by statute.

DEQ is conducting these meetings as part of its commitment to a transparent public engagement process during the development of the general permits. During this process, the Department held two technical stakeholder workgroup meetings and a virtual public input session in late 2021. A summary of the stakeholder workgroup and recording of the input session is available online.

The upcoming public meetings on the Draft General Permits will begin at 6 p.m. The meetings will be facilitated by an independent moderator. Members of the public who wish to speak at the meetings will be able to sign up upon arrival.

April 5, 2022: James Sprunt Community College, Monk Auditorium, 133 James Sprunt Drive, Kenansville 28349 (Duplin County)

April 7, 2022: Sampson County Exposition Center, 414 Warsaw Road, Clinton 28328 (Sampson County)

A virtual meeting will also be held through Webex at 6 p.m. on April 21, 2022, for those unable to attend the in-person hearings:

https://bit.ly/3FFGRLL | Event number: 2436 024 6769

Event password: NCDEQ (62337 from phones)

Join by phone: 415-655-0003 | Access code: 2436 024 6769

Members of the public who wish to speak at the virtual meeting should sign up online by 4 p.m. on April 21.

For those who cannot attend the meetings, public input can be submitted until May 2, 2022 via email to PublicCommentsDWR@ncdenr.gov, or by leaving a voicemail at 919-707-9129.

Comments can also be mailed to the address listed below: