459A.208  Nutrient management plan — requirements.
  1.  The owner of an open feedlot operation which has an animal unit capacity of one thousand animal units or more or which is required to be issued an operating permit shall develop and implement a nutrient management plan meeting the requirements of this section.
  2.  Not more than one open feedlot operation shall be covered by a single nutrient management plan.
  3.  A person shall not remove open feedlot effluent from an open feedlot operation structure which is part of an open feedlot operation for which a nutrient management plan is required under this section, unless the department approves a nutrient management plan as required in this section. The department may adopt rules allowing a person to remove open feedlot effluent from an open feedlot operation structure until the nutrient management plan is approved or disapproved by the department according to terms and conditions required by rules adopted by the department.
  4.  The department shall not approve an application for a permit to construct a settled open feedlot effluent basin unless the owner of the open feedlot operation applying for approval submits a nutrient management plan together with the application for the construction permit as provided in section 459A.205. The owner shall also submit proof that the owner has published a notice for public comment as provided in this section. The department shall approve or disapprove the nutrient management plan as provided in section 459A.201.
  5.  Prior to approving or disapproving a nutrient management plan as required in this section, the department may receive comments exclusively to determine whether the nutrient management plan is submitted according to procedures required by the department and that the nutrient management plan complies with the provisions of this chapter.
  a.  The owner of the open feedlot operation shall publish a notice for public comment in a newspaper having a general circulation in the county where the open feedlot operation is or is proposed to be located and in the county where open feedlot effluent, which originates from the open feedlot operation, may be applied under the terms and conditions of the nutrient management plan.
  b.  The notice for public comment shall include all of the following:
  (1)  The name of the owner of the open feedlot operation submitting the nutrient management plan.
  (2)  The name of the township where the open feedlot operation is or is proposed to be located and the name of the township where open feedlot effluent originating from the open feedlot operation may be applied.
  (3)  The animal unit capacity of the open feedlot operation.
  (4)  The time when and the place where the nutrient management plan may be examined as provided in section 22.2.
  (5)  Procedures for providing public comment to the department. The notice shall also include procedures for requesting a public hearing conducted by the department. The department is not required to conduct a public hearing if it does not receive a request for the public hearing within ten days after the first publication of the notice for public comment as provided in this subsection. If such a request is received, the public hearing must be conducted within thirty days after the first date that the notice for public comment was published.
  (6)  A statement that a person may acquire information relevant to making comments under this subsection by accessing the department’s internet website. The notice for public comment shall include the address of the department’s internet website as required by the department.
  c.  The department shall maintain an internet website where persons may access information relevant to making comments under this subsection. The department may include an electronic version of the nutrient management plan as provided in section 459A.201. The department shall include information regarding the time when, the place where, and the manner in which persons may participate in a public hearing as provided in this subsection.
  6.  A nutrient management plan must be authenticated by the owner of the open feedlot operation as required by the department in accordance with section 459A.201.
  7.  A nutrient management plan shall include all of the following:
  a.  Restrictions on the application of open feedlot effluent based on all of the following:
  (1)  Calculations necessary to determine the land area required for the application of open feedlot effluent from an open feedlot operation based on nitrogen use levels in order to obtain optimum crop yields according to a crop schedule specified in the nutrient management plan, and according to requirements adopted by the department.
  (2)  A phosphorus index established pursuant to section 459.312.
  b.  Information relating to the application of the open feedlot effluent, including all of the following:
  (1)  Nutrient levels of the open feedlot effluent.
  (2)  Application methods, the timing of the application, and the location of the land where the application occurs.
  c.  If the application is on land other than land owned or rented for crop production by the owner of the open feedlot operation, the plan shall include a copy of each written agreement executed by the owner of the open feedlot operation and the landowner or the person renting the land for crop production where the open feedlot effluent may be applied.
  d.  An estimate of the open feedlot effluent volume or weight produced by the open feedlot operation.
  e.  Information which shows all of the following:
  (1)  There is adequate storage for open feedlot effluent, including procedures to ensure proper operation and maintenance of the storage structures.
  (2)  The proper management of animal mortalities to ensure that animals are not disposed of in an open feedlot operation structure or a treatment system that is not specifically designed to treat animal mortalities.
  (3)  Surface drainage prior to contact with an open feedlot structure is diverted, as appropriate, from the open feedlot operation.
  (4)  Animals kept in the open feedlot operation do not have direct contact with any waters of the United States.
  (5)  Chemicals or other contaminants handled on-site are not disposed of in an open feedlot operation structure or a treatment system that is not specifically designed to treat such chemicals or contaminants.
  8.  If an open feedlot operation uses an alternative technology system as provided in section 459A.303, the nutrient management plan is not required to provide for settled effluent that enters the alternative technology system.
  9.  The owner of an open feedlot operation who is required to develop and implement a nutrient management plan shall maintain a current nutrient management plan and maintain records sufficient to demonstrate compliance with the nutrient management plan.
2005 Acts, ch 136, §10; 2006 Acts, ch 1030, §46, 47; 2006 Acts, ch 1088, §4, 6