Continuing Education Requirements for Animal Waste Management System Operators

1. In order to maintain certification, an animal waste management system operator must, in addition to paying an annual renewal fee, complete six (6) hours of approved training during each three-year period following initial certification. The first three-year period will begin January 1 of the year following initial certification; however, continuing education credits earned after initial certification and prior to January 1 of the year following certification will be allowed to count toward meeting the continuing education credit requirement for the first three-year period following initial certification.
   
   
2. A certified animal waste management system operator that fails to complete the six (6) hours of approved additional training within 30 days of the end of a three-year period shall take and pass a certification examination approved by the Water Pollution Control System Operators Certification Commission (WPCSOCC) in order to renew the certificate.
   
   
3. Continuing education credits (CECs) must be earned through satisfactory completion of approved operator training programs including but not limited to seminars, courses, lectures, workshops, or in-house training programs. "Satisfactory completion" means operator attendance for the duration of the training.
   
   
4. A committee will be established for the purpose of evaluating educational programs for issuance of Continuing Education Credits for Certified Operators of Animal Waste Management Systems. The committee will include:
   
   
   1. Supervisor of the Division of Water Quality, Technical Assistance and Certification Unit or Regional Office designee, of which only the Technical Assistance and Certification Supervisor will have voting rights and then only in the event of a tie vote;
      
      
   2. One (1) staff member of the Division of Water Quality, Technical Assistance and Certification Unit;
      
      
   3. One (1) staff member of the Division of Water Quality, Water Quality Section Non-Discharge Compliance/Enforcement Unit;
      
      
   4. One (1) staff member of the Division of Water Quality, Water Quality Section Non-Discharge Permitting Unit
      
      
   5. Two (2) representatives of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service.
      

At least four (4) committee members must be present in order for the committee to take action.

5. The review committee serves only to make recommendations to the Chairman of the WPCSOCC who will grant approval of all CECs. The Chairman has been delegated such authority by the WPCSOCC; however, the WPCSOCC reserves the right to overturn the Chairman's decisions.
   
   
6. The committee shall meet as needed to review the required documentation for each course and recommend the appropriate number of credit hours for all CEC applications submitted during the previous month.
   
   
7. Training that will be acceptable for CECs includes, but is not limited to: ^* 
   

1. Regulatory Updates
   
   
2. Equipment Operation and Maintenance Workshops
   
   
3. Record Keeping Compliance
   
   
4. New/Innovative Waste Management Technologies
   
   
5. Emergency Management
   
   
6. Crop, Pasture and Soil Management
   
   
7. Mortality Management

^*These items will be considered only as they relate to animal waste management. Examples of programs that would not be acceptable include topics such as animal breeding, feeding, etc.

8. All organizations sponsoring training programs for animal waste management system operators must submit applications to the WPCSOCC for approval. Applications must include the following information:
   
   
1. Name, address, and description of organization(s) sponsoring the training;
   
   
2. Name, address, and telephone number of person to contact regarding the training;
   
   
3. Date, time and location of the training;
   
   
4. Course outline showing the topic(s) to be presented and time allotted for each (including beginning and ending times);
   
   
5. Name(s) of instructor(s) and his/her qualifications (not just title or company name);
   
   
6. Copy of all educational materials to be used such as publications, manuals, handouts, videotapes, slides, slide/tape presentations, films, overheads, etc.;
   
   
7. Signed, detailed statement of justification for continuing education credit.

 

Applications for approval of training programs must be submitted at least 45 days prior to the training to WPCSOCC, P.O. Box 29535, Raleigh, North Carolina 27626-0535.

9. Incomplete applications will not be considered. The applicant will be so notified.
   
   
10. In the determination of CECs, additional information may be requested by the committee. Under such circumstances, the committee will act as soon as possible but reserves the right to postpone recommendations.
    
    
11. Continuing education credit is based on actual contact time in the training. CECs will be issued as contact hours. All breaks and meal times must be noted on the agenda and will not count toward contact time. Excessive time allotted for introductions or welcomes will not count toward contact time.
    
    
12. Continuing education credit will be issued in increments of one-half (0.5) contact hour. The minimum credit issued will be one-half (0.5) contact hour.
    
    
13. The committee will notify the applicant of the Chairman's decision within 15 days of the regularly scheduled meeting.
    
    
14. No credit will be given prior to the completion of any training program. The completion date of a multi-day program is the last day of the program.
    
    
15. In addition, when significant changes to animal waste management system regulations occur, animal waste management system operators must attend one session of continuing education training covering the regulatory changes. Each operator must complete an approved training class during their initial three-year period that is specifically designed to address the governing rules and regulations for animal waste management system operators.
    
    
16. No continuing education credit will be given for any training attended prior to certification as an animal waste management system operator.
    
    
17. Until January 1, 1998, the WPCSOCC or its designee will retroactively review training programs conducted on or after June 21, 1996, for approval of continuing education credits. Beginning January 1, 1998, approval for continuing education credits must be obtained prior to the occurrence of a training program.
    
    
18. Once the information required in section (6) has been submitted and the training program has been approved by the WPCSOCC, the information need not be resubmitted for subsequent sessions of that training program for three (3) years following approval. However, the committee must be notified of the date, time and location of all previously approved training programs at least 30 days prior to the scheduled training. After three (3) years, the information required in section (6) must be resubmitted to the WPCSOCC for review and approval.
    
    
19. If any changes in training program content, time allotted, instructor or material used are made after approval of a training program by the WPCSOCC, the information required in section (6) must be resubmitted to the WPCSOCC for approval. The information must be submitted at least 45 days prior to the date of the next scheduled training. If only the instructor changes, then the applicant need only submit information relating to his/her qualifications.
    
    
20. Upon approval or denial of a training program by the WPCSOCC or its designee, the applicant will be notified in writing. Approval notices will include an attendance roster form showing the training program name, instructor, date, location, training program identification number, a blank certificate of completion and amount of continuing education credit.
    
    
21. A training program may not be advertised as having been approved for continuing education credit until the WPCSOCC has issued its formal approval and assigned a training program identification number and amount of continuing education credit. Any advertisement that states that the training program is approved must include the training program identification number and amount of continuing education credit. Identification codes for approved training will be based on the type of training and the application receipt date.
    
    
22. Each organization providing training should provide certificates of completion to the attendees. The certificate should include the following:

1. Attendee's name;
   
   
2. Name of the training program;
   
   
3. Continuing education credit;
   
   
4. Training program identification number;
   
   
5. Date(s) of the training program;
   
   
6. Location of the training program;
   
   
7. Name of the training program coordinator or instructor.

23. Training providers shall submit the attendance roster to the WPCSOCC within 15 working days of the completion of the training program. Information on the roster shall include:

1. Name of the training program;
   
   
2. Continuing education credit;
   
   
3. Training program identification number;
   
   
4. Date(s) of the training program;
   
   
5. Location of the training program;
   
   
6. Name of the training program coordinator or instructor;
   
   
7. Names of all attendees; and
   
   
8. Social Security numbers of all attendees.

24. All approved training programs will be subject to periodic announced and unannounced audits.
    
    
25. The WPCSOCC staff will make known by a public means the training that has been approved for continuing education purposes. A list of all approved training will be maintained by the WPCSOCC staff at 219 E. North St., Raleigh, North Carolina, 27626, (919)733-0026.
    
    
26. Continuing education credits will be valid only for the three-year period in which they were earned. Continuing education credits in excess of the required hours for any three-year period may not be carried over into a subsequent three-year period.
    
    
27. Training attended for continuing education credits during one three-year period may be taken one additional time during the same three-year period for fifty (50) percent of the original continuing education credits assigned for the training. Under no circumstances will any credit be given for training repeated during any one 12-month period. The 10 hour initial certification training will not be credited for CEC value.
    
    
28. Instructors will be allowed to earn continuing education credits for teaching approved training programs. If a training program involves more than one (1) instructor, the entire training program must be attended in order for an instructor to earn continuing education credits. All requirements outlined in this document apply to instructors seeking to earn continuing education credits.