Enforcement and compliance

1. The department shall evaluate all reports, notifications, and data submitted by an operator in compliance with this chapter and the state animal feeding operation permit. The department shall investigate all apparent violations for possible enforcement action pursuant to North Dakota Century Code section 61-28-08. 2. No person may knowingly make a false statement, representation, or certification in any application, record, report, plan, or other document filed or required under this chapter or the permit. No person may knowingly falsify, tamper with, or provide inaccurate information regarding a monitoring well or other device required under this chapter or the permit. 3. Operators of permitted facilities that are not operating properly shall update those facilities to achieve compliance with this chapter and the conditions of the permit within a timeframe approved by the department. 4. If the department finds that a facility, which has not been covered by a state animal feeding operation permit within the last five years, is causing or is likely to cause pollution of waters of the state, or poses a significant threat to public health or safety, the operator will be notified that actions shall be taken to prevent the pollution. 5. Within one hundred and twenty days following the notification described in subsection 4, the operator shall submit a compliance plan to prevent the facility from impacting waters of the state. a. The compliance plan shall be prepared in accordance with the minimum requirements of this chapter and the North Dakota Livestock Program Design Manual. The plan shall contain adequate information to enable the department to determine whether the proposed measures will abate or prevent pollution of waters of the state. The operator also shall present a proposed schedule for plan implementation and completion. b. If the compliance plan allows for operation of the facility in a manner that will not cause nor likely cause pollution of waters of the state, the department will issue a permit with a compliance schedule for construction. Approval of the permit shall be contingent upon any changes which may be required by the department after its review of the proposed plan. The construction must be completed within the timeframe specified in the compliance schedule. c. If the approved compliance plan needs to be modified or amended during construction, the operator shall notify the department prior to making any modifications or amendments and they must be approved by the department. 6. A permit may be modified, suspended, revoked, or denied by the department for reasons pertaining to: circumstances which do not meet the purpose and provisions of this article, the provisions of the permit, or the plans and specifications submitted as part of the application for permit; or, violations of any applicable laws or rules. The department shall provide written notice to the permittee. 7. If the department revokes a state animal feeding operation permit for cause, the operator can finish feeding the animals for up to one hundred and twenty days from the date of revocation, provided public and environmental health are not threatened. The operator will not be allowed to bring any other animals into the facility until the requirements of the permit, this chapter, and the North Dakota Livestock Program Design Manual have been met as approved by the department.