Transcript NPDES Permitting & Enforcement

NPDES Wastewater
Permitting Update
2015 NCMA Workshop
Tom Belnick
DWR/NPDES Permitting
Topics
Wastewater Organization
 ATC requirement
 Triennial Review implementation
 Federal Updates
 Mercury TMDL Implementation
 Tips for compliance

Wastewater Organization

NPDES Complex Permitting Unit

NPDES Compliance/Expedited Unit
• Individual Major Permits
• Individual Minor Permits, General Permits,
Compliance

Regional Offices
• Inspections, Compliance, Pump&Haul
NPDES Wastewater Permits

General Permits
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Individual Permits
• NCG50- non contact cooling water
• NCG51- GW remediation
• NCG59- WTP
• Majors- 225
• Minors- 1070
Authorization to Construct (ATC)
Permit
ATC no longer required for WWTP
construction at industrial facility
 Session Law 2011-394, effective 7/1/2011

Basis of Permit Limits

WQBELs

TBELs
• Protect aquatic life, human health
• Consider WQS, dilution, RPA, etc
• Based on industry treatment performance
• 40 CFR 400s
WQS Triennial Review
Implementation

Dissolved Metals standards
• Exception: mercury, selenium
• Hardness dependent
Acute Limit/ 1Q10 dilution
 Retain Action Levels (Cu, Zn, Cl, Ag)
 Delete existing WQS for Mn, Fe
 EPA status

Federal Effluent Guidelines
Updates
40 CFR 403 Dental Amalgam/Pretreat
 40 CFR 423 Steam Electric Power
 40 CFR 435 Oil&Gas Extraction/Pretreat
 Other Fed Actions

• CWA Section 316(b)- CWIS
• CWA- NPDES Electronic Reporting Rule
CWA Section 316(b)- CWIS
Rule effective Oct 14, 2014
 Goal to reduce impingement/entrainment
 Affected Entities

• All existing facilities with intake design > 2 MGD
• Use > 25% withdrawal for cooling purposes
• Actual Intake > 125 MGD requires special
biological studies
CWA Section 316(b)- CWIS

Submittal Requirements
• Submit info listed under 40 CFR 122.21( r) with
NPDES permit renewal application

Alternative Submittal Request
• For permits expiring prior to 7/14/2018
• Facility can request delayed submittal schedule
if justified.
Electronic Reporting Rule

EPA Final Rule anticipated Dec 2015
• Goal for improved efficiencies and greater
•

transparency of information
Proposed 1-year deadline to report eDMRs to
State
DWR currently implementing
• Adding eDMR requirement to NPDES permit
renewals- 270 day schedule
EPA ECHO Website
NC BIMS database; uploaded to EPA
 EPA PCS/ICIS database
 ECHO populated by ICIS
 DMR reporting violations

Mercury TMDL Implementation
NC WQS= 12 ng/l (surface water)
 EPA fish tissue = 0.3 mg/kg
 Statewide Hg TMDL 2012

• TMDL based on fish tissue
• TMDL sets limits from 12-47 ng/l Annual Avg
• Emphasis on Mercury Minimization Plans
• Industry Evaluation
I can’t meet these limits !!!
Tips for Compliance
Read your Draft Permit & comment
 Verify Effluent Data/RPA
 Verify production data
 Negotiate/Compliance schedules
 Legal options

Stay Involved
WQ Standards/Triennial Review
 EPA Effluent Guidelines
 Know your receiving stream/Basin

• 303(d) List- Impaired waters
• TMDLs
• Stream classification
• Basin Plans
DWR/NPDES Contacts

NPDES Website
• Portal.ncdenr.org/web/wq/swp
Dissolved Metals- Julie Grzyb
 eDMR- Vanessa Manuel
 316(b) – Sergei Chernikov
 Permitting- Tom Belnick
 Email: [email protected]
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