Central Valley Water Board sending certified letters to dairies, cattle operations in nitrate ‘Priority 1’ areas

On or about May 29, the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (“Regional Board”) is expected to mail certified letters to about 650 dairies and more than 200 calf and heifer ranches and beef feedlots, letting those operations know they must comply with an important new regulation dealing with nitrates in groundwater.
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This article’s purpose is to help owners and operators of dairies and other confined cattle operations understand what these “Notice to Comply” letters mean, what steps owners need to take, and by when. A few key facts to start with:

• The letters are not just being sent to dairies and cattle facilities, but to many other water quality permit holders in so-called “Priority One” areas of the Central Valley.
• These letters are not being sent to all dairies and cattle facilities at this time. Operations in so-called “Priority Two” areas can expect a similar letter next year or perhaps later. Cattle ranches and dairies in “non-priority” areas may not receive a Notice to Comply in the foreseeable future. See map here: https://www.cvsalinity.org/nitrate-control-program
• The letter is not bad news. The letter, taken with the new regulations, offers an alternative that is more flexible, and less expensive, for complying with the strict regulations Central Valley dairies and other cattle operations are already under.

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