(A)

(1) Not later than one hundred eighty days after March 15, 2001, the director of agriculture shall prepare a program for the issuance of permits to operate under this section.

(2) Except for a concentrated animal feeding facility that is operating under an installation permit , on and after the date on which the director has finalized the program required under division (A)(1) of this section, no person shall own or operate a concentrated animal feeding facility without a permit to operate issued by the director under this section.

(B) The director or the director's authorized representative may help an applicant for a permit to operate during the permitting process by providing guidance and technical assistance.

(C) An applicant for a permit to operate shall submit a fee in an amount established by rule together with, except as otherwise provided in division (E) of this section, an application to the director on a form that the director prescribes and provides. The applicant shall include with the application all of the following information:

(1) The name and address of the applicant, of all partners if the applicant is a partnership, of all members if the applicant is a limited liability company, or of all officers and directors if the applicant is a corporation, and of any other person who has a right to control or in fact controls management of the applicant or the selection of officers, directors, or managers of the applicant. As used in division (C)(1) of this section, "control" has the same meaning as in division (C)(1) of section 903.02 of the Revised Code.

(2) Information concerning the applicant's past compliance with laws pertaining to environmental protection that is required to be provided under section 903.05 of the Revised Code, if applicable;

(3) A manure management plan for the concentrated animal feeding facility that conforms to best management practices regarding the handling, storage, transportation, and land application of manure generated at the facility and that contains any other information required by rule;

(4) An insect and rodent control plan for the concentrated animal feeding facility that conforms to best management practices and is prepared in accordance with section 903.06 of the Revised Code;

(5) In the case of an application for a major concentrated animal feeding facility, written proof that the person who would be responsible for the supervision of the management and handling of manure at the facility has been issued a livestock manager certification in accordance with section 903.07 of the Revised Code or will obtain a livestock manager certification prior to applying any manure to land.

(D) The director shall issue permits to operate in accordance with section 903.09 of the Revised Code. The director shall deny a permit to operate if either of the following applies:

(1) The permit application contains misleading or false information.

(2) The manure management plan or insect and rodent control plan fails to conform to best management practices.

Additional grounds for the denial of a permit to operate shall be those established in this chapter and in rules.

(E) The director shall issue general permits to operate for categories of concentrated animal feeding facilities that will apply in lieu of individual permits to operate, provided that each category of facilities meets all of the criteria established in rules for general permits to operate. A person who is required to obtain a permit to operate shall submit to the director a notice of the person's intent to be covered under an existing general permit or, at the person's option, shall submit an application for an individual permit to operate. Upon receipt of a notice of intent to be covered under an existing general permit, the director shall notify the applicant in writing that the person is covered by the general permit if the person satisfies the criteria established in rules for eligibility for such coverage. If the person is ineligible for coverage under the general permit, the director shall require the submission of an application for an individual permit to operate.

(F) A permit to operate shall be valid for a period of five years.

(G) A permit to operate may be renewed. An application for renewal of a permit to operate shall be submitted to the director at least one hundred eighty days prior to the expiration date of the permit to operate and shall comply with the requirements governing applications for permits to operate that are established under this section and by rules, including requirements pertaining to public notice and participation.

(H) The director may modify, suspend, or revoke a permit to operate in accordance with rules.

(I) The owner or operator of a concentrated animal feeding facility who proposes to make a major operational change at the facility shall submit an application for approval of the change to the director in accordance with rules.

Amended by 131st General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 64, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2015.

Amended by 128th General AssemblyFile No.12, HB 363, §1, eff. 12/22/2009, certain amendments operative on the date on which the Administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency approves the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System program submitted by the Director of Agriculture under section 903.08 of the Revised Code as amended by this act.

Effective Date: 03-15-2001