Sec. 3. Environmentally sustainable swine waste disposal technologies
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Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall establish a program for certifying environmentally sustainable swine waste disposal technologies in accordance with this section. In establishing the program under this section, the Secretary shall establish standards requiring that a swine waste disposal technology, in order to be certified under this section— eliminate animal discharge into surface waters and groundwater through direct discharge, seepage, or runoff; substantially eliminate atmospheric emissions of ammonia from swine waste; substantially eliminate the emission of odor from swine waste that is detectable beyond the boundaries of the parcel or tract of land on which the swine farm is located; substantially eliminate the release of disease-transmitting vectors and airborne pathogens from swine waste; substantially eliminate nutrient and heavy metal contamination of soil and groundwater from swine waste; and be cost-effective.
In determining whether a technology is cost-effective under this section, the Secretary— shall consider the full range of subsidies available under this Act and other Federal programs, and available State and private-sector support; in considering the costs of a technology, may include costs associated with adoption of the technology and the estimated operation and maintenance costs of the technology through the life of technology; and may not require parity with the cost of existing swine waste disposal technologies and systems.
In establishing standards under this paragraph, the Secretary shall consult with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, the relevant task force established under section 1672A of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990, and States that have a history of widespread use of lagoon and spray technology on swine farms. The Secretary, in consultation with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and the relevant task force established under section 1672A of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990, shall certify a swine waste disposal technology as being environmentally sustainable if it meets the standards established under subsection (b).
Swine waste disposal technologies that are eligible for certification under this subsection include stand-alone waste disposal technology platforms and multi-part systems, which may incorporate in-ground technology, that meet or exceed, in combination, the standards established under this section, as determined by the Secretary.