Indiana reviews livestock facility designs before formal applications

A potential applicant may ask the Indiana Department of Environmental Management to review designs and meet about them. The designs may be for a manure treatment facility, control facility, or animal feeding structure. Anyone approved at this stage must still file a formal application and meet the chapter's other requirements. The agency must schedule a meeting within 30 days after receiving the designs and decide within 90 days after the meeting or after receiving requested changes. Applicants must send those changes within 45 days after the meeting.

The department may not require certain solid manure facilities to use design rules meant for liquid manure. This applies to facilities proposed for approval that will hold solid manure from livestock kept on strawpack or dry pack bedding. The facility must control runoff if rain or surface water contacts the manure. This rule applies when an applicant seeks approval for the facility.

The department may not require changes to an existing approved facility as part of a new application. The applicant must already have approval for the existing facility or structure and be applying for a new one. This applies only when the new facility or structure will not affect the existing approved one. The limit applies as part of the new application.

A person who installs an earthen berm at a manure storage facility must stabilize and maintain it for inspection. These duties apply to a person who installs an earthen berm at a manure storage facility. Trees, shrubs, and other vegetation must be kept outside the berm, at least 16 feet from its interior. Vegetation on or beside the berm must not block inspection or threaten its strength. The person must maintain the berm and vegetation; the text gives no end date.