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EPA/OW RIN: 2040-AG22 Publication ID: Fall 2024 
Title: Clean Water Act Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards for the Meat and Poultry Products Point Source Category 
Abstract:

As announced in the Effluent Limitations Guidelines Program Plan 15, the EPA has initiated a rulemaking to revise the existing Meat and Poultry Products Effluent Guidelines and Standards (40 CFR part 432) to address nutrient discharges. These effluent guidelines were last revised in 2004 and currently apply to only a subset of facilities nationwide. The current Meat and Poultry effluent guidelines also do not limit nutrient discharges from all regulated facilities. The EPA issued a proposed rule to revise the MPP ELGs in January 2024. The EPA is under a consent decree to sign the final action by August 31, 2025.

 
Agency: Environmental Protection Agency(EPA)  Priority: Other Significant 
RIN Status: Previously published in the Unified Agenda Agenda Stage of Rulemaking: Final Rule Stage 
Major: Undetermined  Unfunded Mandates: Private Sector 
CFR Citation: 40 CFR 432   
Legal Authority: 33 U.S.C. 1311, 1314, 1316, 1317, 1361   
Legal Deadline:
Action Source Description Date
NPRM  Judicial  Consent Decree: EPA is under a consent decree to sign the rule by December 13, 2023.   12/13/2023 
Final  Judicial  Consent Decree:   08/31/2025 

Statement of Need: In 2015 EPA published Preliminary Effluent Guidelines Program Plan 15, summarizing the results of a study of the meat and poultry products industry. This study identified large quantities of nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, discharged from meat and poultry processing facilities and these discharges are a substantial contributor to nutrient pollution in waters of the US. Moreover, the existing ELGs apply to a small fraction of the estimated 5,055 MPP facilities nationwide and do not include pretreatment standards for facilities that indirectly discharge via publicly owned treatment works.

Summary of the Legal Basis: The Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 33 U.S.C. 1311, 1314, 1316, 1317, 1318, 1342, and 1361).

Alternatives: tbd

Anticipated Costs and Benefits: tbd

Risks: tbd

Timetable:
Action Date FR Cite
NPRM  01/23/2024  89 FR 4474   
Final Rule  08/00/2025 
Additional Information: EPA-HQ-OW-2021-0736.
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: Undetermined  Government Levels Affected: Federal, Tribal 
Federalism: No 
Included in the Regulatory Plan: Yes 
RIN Information URL: https://www.epa.gov/eg/meat-and-poultry-products-effluent-guidelines#current-rulemaking  
Sectors Affected: 11521 Support Activities for Animal Production; 311111 Dog and Cat Food Manufacturing; 311119 Other Animal Food Manufacturing; 31161 Animal Slaughtering and Processing; 311611 Animal (except Poultry) Slaughtering; 311612 Meat Processed from Carcasses; 311613 Rendering and Meat Byproduct Processing; 311615 Poultry Processing; 311999 All Other Miscellaneous Food Manufacturing; 424470 Meat and Meat Product Merchant Wholesalers 
RIN Data Printed in the FR: No 
Agency Contact:
Stephen Whitlock
Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20460
Phone:202 566-1541
Email: whitlock.steve@epa.gov

Kevin Tingley
Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20460
Phone:202 564-4619
Email: tingley.kevin@epa.gov