Glossaries:

• Glossary of Terms
• Glossary of Acronyms

7.  Glossary of Terms

404 Permit: 
This definition is from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers:  Section 404 of the CWA provides authority to the Secretary of the Army, acting through the Chief of Engineers, to issue permits for the discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States at specified disposal sites. Selection of such sites must be in accordance with guidelines developed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in conjunction with the Secretary of the Army; these guidelines are known as the 404(b)(1) Guidelines.

These regulations say that Waters of the US and their tributaries cannot have their course altered or have materials removed from or added to a waterway without a permit.

For more information, go to: http://www.usace.army.mil/

Animal Feeding Operation (AFO): 
According to EPA, operations that meet these two requirements are classified as AFOs:

• a lot or facility where animals have been, are, or will be stabled or confined and fed or maintained for a total of at least 45 days in any 12-month period.
• animal confinement areas that do not sustain crops, vegetation, forage growth, or post-harvest residues in the normal growing season.

Animal Units is a system developed by EPA to compare the number of animals between species to distinguish between AFOs and CAFOs.  Animal units are defined below in terms of specific animals (see CAFO definition). 

Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO):  
According to EPA, a CAFO is an animal feeding operation that also fulfills one of the following:

1. Has more than 1,000 animal units, defined below in terms of type of animal:
• 1,000 slaughter or feeder cattle
• 700 mature dairy cattle (whether milked or dry)
• 2,500 swine each weighing over 25 kilograms or 55 pounds
• 500 horses
• 10,000 sheep or lambs
• 55,000 turkeys
• 100,000 laying hens or broilers (with a continuous flow watering system)
• 30,000 laying hens or broilers (with a liquid manure system)
• 5,000 ducks
  
  
2. Has between 301 and 1,000 animal units and discharges pollutants through one of the following methods:
• Into Waters of the US through a man-made ditch, flushing system, or similar man-made device
• Directly into Waters of the US that originate outside of and pass over, across, or through the facility or otherwise come into contact with the animals confined in the operation
  
  
3. Has been designated a CAFO by the permitting authority on a case-by-case basis.  The facility would fall into one of the three categories listed below:
• An AFO with more than 300 animal units but less than 1,000 that does not meet the discharge criterion described in #2
• An AFO with 300 animal units or fewer that meets the method of discharge criterion listed in #2
• An AFO that raises animals other than those listed in #1 

National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) is defined by the CFR title 40, part 122 as the national program for issuing, modifying, revoking and reissuing, terminating, monitoring and enforcing permits, and imposing and enforcing pretreatment requirements, under sections 307, 318, 402, and 405 of the CWA. 

Waters of the United States (US) is defined in 40 CFR 122.2 as: "(a) All waters which are currently used, were used in the past, or may be susceptible to use in interstate or foreign commerce, including all waters which are subject to the ebb and flow of the tide; (b) All interstate waters, including interstate ``wetlands;'' (c) All other waters such as intrastate lakes, rivers,           streams (including intermittent streams), mudflats, sandflats, ``wetlands,'' sloughs, prairie potholes, wet meadows, playa lakes, or natural ponds the use, degradation, or destruction of which would affect or could affect interstate or foreign commerce including any such waters: (1) Which are or could be used by interstate or foreign travelers for recreational or other purposes; (2) From which fish or shellfish are or could be taken and sold in interstate or foreign commerce; or (3) Which are used or could be used for industrial purposes by industries in interstate commerce; (d) All impoundments of waters otherwise defined as waters of the United States under this definition; (e) Tributaries of waters identified in paragraphs (a) through (d) of this definition; (f) The territorial sea; and (g) ``Wetlands'' adjacent to waters (other than waters that are themselves wetlands) identified in paragraphs (a) through (f) of this definition.  Waste treatment systems, including treatment ponds or lagoons designed to meet the requirements of CWA (other than cooling ponds as defined in 40 CFR 423.11(m) which also meet the criteria of this definition) are not waters of the United States."

More definitions are found in the Arizona General NPDES permit for CAFOs, in section 2.

Glossary of Acronyms

ACT:            Agricultural Consultation and Training

ADA:           Arizona Department of Agriculture

ADEQ:         Arizona Department of Environmental Quality

ADWR:        Arizona Department of Water Resources

AFO:             Animal Feeding Operation (definition on page 7-1)

APP:              Aquifer Protection Permit

AWMFH:      Animal Waste Management Field Handbook

BMP:              Best Management Practice

CAFO:            Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (definition on page 7-1)

CFR:               Code of Federal Regulations

CNMP:           Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan

CWA:             Clean Water Act

EPA:               Environmental Protection Agency

EQIP:             Environmental Quality Incentives Program

FSA:               Farm Service Agency

FOTG:            Field Office Technical Guide

GPA:              Geographical Priority Area

LWG:             Local Work Group

N:                   Nitrogen

NH₃:              Ammonia

NOC:              Notice of Opportunity to Correct

NOI:               Notice of Intent

NOV:              Notice of Violation

NMP:              Nutrient Management Plan

NPDES:          National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System

NRCD:            Natural Resource Conservation District

NRCS:            Natural Resources Conservation Service

P:                     Phosphorus

USDA:             United States Department of Agriculture

USGAO:          United States General Accounting Office

Page updated 7/02

Arizona
Dept. of
Agriculture