Appendix J, Agriculture/Silviculture Exemption Certification, is the Anderson County Stormwater Management form on which a property owner certifies that land disturbing activity at a site is solely for an agricultural or silvicultural purpose. Submitting it constitutes notice of that intent, and the form states that the purpose is not the development or improvement of the property for sale. On FillingPDF you can fill out the form online and download or print the completed PDF; the original PDF is published by Anderson County at the official link on this page.
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What is Appendix J?
Appendix J, the Agriculture/Silviculture Exemption Certification, is an Anderson County Stormwater Management form in which a property owner gives notice and certifies, under penalty of law, that land disturbing activity at an identified site is solely for an agricultural or silvicultural purpose.
The form opens with the exemption it relies on. It states that the following discharges do not require National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits: the introduction of pollutants from non point-source agricultural and silvicultural activities, including stormwater runoff from orchards, cultivated crops, pastures, range lands and forest lands. It adds that this does not cover discharges from concentrated animal feeding operations, discharges from concentrated aquatic animal production facilities, discharges to aquaculture projects, or discharges from silvicultural point sources.
The page has three parts: I. Applicant Information (owner name, phone and mailing address), II. Site Location Information (site address, Taxmap # and county) and III. Certification (printed owner name, signature and date). The form states that submitting it constitutes notice that the party identified in Section I intends to conduct land disturbing activity solely for an agricultural or silvicultural purpose, and not to develop or improve the property for sale.
The Anderson County Stormwater Department administers the county's stormwater permitting and inspection programs. Its page refers readers to Chapter 24, Article V of the Stormwater Management Ordinance for exceptions and exemptions to its permit requirement.
Who needs to file Appendix J?
The main group is an owner who intends to conduct land disturbing activity at a site solely for an agricultural or silvicultural purpose. The form treats the party named in Section I as the one giving notice, and that same owner prints their name, signs and dates Section III.
Conditions printed on the form:
- The activity must be solely agricultural or silvicultural. The form says it is not for the development or improvement of the property for sale.
- The exemption wording covers non point-source activities such as runoff from orchards, cultivated crops, pastures, range lands and forest lands.
- The same wording excludes discharges from concentrated animal feeding operations, concentrated aquatic animal production facilities, aquaculture projects and silvicultural point sources.
If your land disturbance is for development or improvement for sale, this certification does not describe your project. The Stormwater Department's page describes a separate permit route for land disturbing activities of one or more acres, using a stormwater management and sediment control plan. The form has no line for a representative: it asks for the owner's printed name and signature.
When to file Appendix J
The form ties itself to planned work: submitting it constitutes notice that the owner intends to conduct land disturbing activity solely for an agricultural or silvicultural purpose. It is therefore completed in connection with the activity it describes at the site listed in Section II.
No due date, filing window, validity period or renewal rule is printed on the form. The Stormwater Department's page says land disturbing activities of one or more acres, including smaller sites that are part of a larger common plan of development, must obtain permit coverage, and it points to Chapter 24, Article V of the Stormwater Management Ordinance for exceptions and exemptions. Contact the Stormwater Department to confirm when it expects this certification for your site.
How to fill out Appendix J
Read the exemption statement
Review the exemptions printed at the top, including the discharges the form excludes. Confirm your activity is solely agricultural or silvicultural and not for development or improvement for sale.
Enter the owner name and phone
In Section I, Applicant Information, write the owner name and a phone number with area code.
Enter the owner's mailing address
In Section I, complete Mailing Address, City, State and Zip for the owner.
Enter the site address
In Section II, Site Location Information, write the Address, City, State and Zip of the site where the land disturbing activity will take place.
Enter the Taxmap # and county
In Section II, write the site's Taxmap # and the County. The form asks for all necessary information, so leave no line blank.
Read the Section III certification
Section III certifies under penalty of law that the activity at the Section II site is solely for an agricultural or silvicultural purpose, and warns of penalties for false information.
Print your name, sign and date
Print the owner name, then sign and enter the date. The form has no other signature block.
Review and download the completed PDF
Check that Sections I, II and III are complete and consistent. Download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF and deliver it as described under How to submit.
How to submit Appendix J
The form itself names no submission channel, portal or address, so confirm with the Anderson County Stormwater Department how it accepts the completed certification.
The department's page lists these details:
- Location: 1428 Pearman Dairy Road, Anderson, SC 29625.
- Mailing address: P.O. Box 8002, Anderson, SC 29622.
Before you send it, check that every part is complete: the form states that all necessary information must be provided. It needs the Section I owner details, the Section II site details including the Taxmap #, and the owner's printed name, signature and date in Section III. The form does not mention a fee or attachments. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the county's channels.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Leaving parts of the form blank; the form states that all necessary information must be provided.
- Using the certification for land disturbing activity that is for the development or improvement of the property for sale; the form covers solely agricultural or silvicultural purposes.
- Omitting the Taxmap # or the county in Section II, which identify the site the certification covers.
- Signing without printing the owner name in Section III, or leaving the signature or date blank.
- Assuming the exemption covers concentrated animal feeding operations, aquaculture projects or silvicultural point sources; the form excludes their discharges.
- Entering the site address in Section I; Section I is for the owner's own mailing address, and the site goes in Section II.
- Certifying without understanding the penalty language; the form warns of significant penalties, including fine and imprisonment for knowing violations.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Agriculture/Silviculture Exemption Certification?
It is Appendix J of the Anderson County Stormwater Management materials. The owner certifies that land disturbing activity at a site is solely for an agricultural or silvicultural purpose, and submitting it constitutes notice of that intent.
Is this an Anderson County property tax form?
No. This is not an Anderson County property tax form. It is a stormwater certification issued under Anderson County Stormwater Management. It asks for the site's Taxmap # only to identify the site where the land disturbing activity will occur.
Who signs the Agriculture/Silviculture Exemption Certification?
The owner. Section III asks for the owner name in print, a signature and a date. The form has no separate block for a representative or agent, and the owner is the party identified in Section I.
Can I use this form for land I plan to sell or develop?
No. The form states the land disturbing activity is solely for an agricultural or silvicultural purpose and not for the development or improvement of the property for sale. Such projects fall outside what the certification describes.
Which discharges are not covered by the exemption?
The form excludes discharges from concentrated animal feeding operations, from concentrated aquatic animal production facilities, to aquaculture projects, and from silvicultural point sources. It covers non point-source agricultural and silvicultural activities.
Where do I submit the Appendix J certification?
The form names no address or portal. The Anderson County Stormwater Department lists 1428 Pearman Dairy Road, Anderson, SC 29625, and P.O. Box 8002, Anderson, SC 29622. Confirm with the department how it accepts the completed certification.
What happens if I give false information on the form?
Section III warns that there are significant penalties for submitting false information, including the possibility of fine and imprisonment for knowing violations. You certify under penalty of law that the activity is solely agricultural or silvicultural.
Can I fill out the Agriculture/Silviculture Exemption Certification online?
Yes. You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service and does not file the form with Anderson County; you deliver it through the county's channels.
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