Arizona § 49-247 - Agricultural general permits; best management practices for regulated agricultural activities

§ 49-247. Agricultural general permits; best management practices for regulated agricultural activities

A. The director shall adopt by rule, pursuant to the requirements of this section, agricultural general permits consisting of best management practices for regulated agricultural activities. Agricultural general permits are not subject to section 49-245 or 49-246. Except as provided in subsection G of this section, a person is not required to obtain an individual permit for a regulated agricultural activity.

B. The terms and conditions of agricultural general permits adopted pursuant to this section shall be agricultural best management practices which have been determined by the director to be the most practical and effective means of reducing or preventing the discharge of pollutants by regulated agricultural activities. Agricultural best management practices may vary within the state, according to regional and hydrogeologic conditions.  The director may waive the use of best management practices in a designated region if the director determines that existing regulated agricultural activities will not cause or contribute to a violation of the adopted water quality standards.

C. The director shall adopt, by rule, agricultural best management practices.

D. In adopting agricultural best management practices, the director shall consider:

1. The availability, the effectiveness and the economic and institutional considerations of alternative technologies.

2. The potential nature and severity of discharges from regulated agricultural activities and their effect on public health and the environment.

E. In adopting best management practices for regulated agricultural activities, the director shall require the application of all economically feasible best management practices which have been determined by the director to be the most practical and effective means of reducing or preventing the discharge of pollutants by regulated agricultural activities but shall not require application of more stringent practices if such a requirement would result in cessation of the regulated activity.

F. Compliance with best management practices adopted pursuant to this section constitutes compliance with this article.

G. If the director, after providing a person with notice and an opportunity for a hearing, determines that the person has violated the applicable best management practices, the director may revoke the agricultural general permit for that person and require that the person obtain a permit pursuant to section 49-241.

H. The director may periodically reexamine, evaluate and propose any modification to or waiver of agricultural best management practices necessary to meet the requirements of this article.