overview of epa, the clean water act, and the national pollutant
TRANSCRIPT
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Overview of the National Overview of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System (NPDES) ProgramSystem (NPDES) Program
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Clean Water ActClean Water Act
Sec. 301 - Effluent StandardsSec. 302 - Water Quality Related Effluent LimitationsSec. 303 - Water Quality Standards and Implementation PlansSec. 304 - Criteria and Effluent GuidelinesSec. 307 - Toxic and Pretreatment Effluent StandardsSec. 308 - Inspections, Entry, Monitoring, and Information
Sec. 309 - Federal Enforcement Sec. 402 - National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits based on technology and water qualitySec. 403 Ocean Discharge CriteriaSection 404: Permits for discharge of dredged/fill materialSec. 405 - Disposal of Sewage Sludge (Biosolids)Sec. 502 - General DefinitionsSec. 510 - State AuthoritySec. 518 - Indian Tribes
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What is a Permit?What is a Permit?
It is a license granting permission to do something which would be illegal otherwiseThere is no right to a permit and it is revocable for cause (noncompliance)NPDES permit is license to discharge
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NPDES Statutory FrameworkNPDES Statutory Framework
All “point” sources
“Discharging pollutants”
Into “waters of the U.S.”
Must obtain an NPDES permit from EPA or an authorized State
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Point Source Point Source -- 40 CFR 122.240 CFR 122.2
Any discernible, confined, and discrete conveyance, including but not limited to:– Any pipe, ditch, channel, tunnel, conduit,well
discrete fissure, container, rolling stock, concentrated animal feeding operation, landfill leachate collection system, vessel or other floating craft from which pollutants are or may be discharged.
– Does not include return flows from irrigated agriculture or agricultural storm water runoff
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What is a Point Source?What is a Point Source?
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Pollutant Pollutant –– 40 CFR 122.240 CFR 122.2
Dredged spoil, solid waste, incinerator residue, filter backwash, sewage, garbage, sewage sludge, munitions, chemical wastes, biological materials, radioactive materials, heat, wrecked or discarded equipment, rock, sand, cellar dirt, and industrial, municipal, and agricultural waste discharged into water.– Does not include sewage from vessels or
injected wastes
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CWA Classes of PollutantsCWA Classes of Pollutants
Conventional pollutants– BOD, TSS, Oil and Grease, Fecal Coliform bacteria,
and pH
Toxic pollutants– 126 “Priority Pollutants”– Heavy metals (e.g., Cu, Pb, Hg)– Organics compounds (e.g., PCBs, dioxin)
Non-Conventional– Everything else….– e.g., Chlorine, ammonia, nitrogen, phosphorus
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Waters of the U.S. Waters of the U.S. -- 40 CFR 40 CFR §§122.2122.2
Examples:–Rivers and streams–Lakes and ponds–Wetlands–Sloughs–Prairie potholes–Intermittent streams–Territorial seas–Etc.
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Types of NPDES Permits Types of NPDES Permits –– IndividualIndividual
Individual Permit– 1 application submitted 1 permit issued
– Appropriate where site-specific limits, management practices, monitoring and reporting, or other facility-specific permit conditions are needed
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Types of NPDES Permits Types of NPDES Permits -- GeneralGeneral
General Permit (40 CFR 122.28)– 1 permit issued many applications submitted
– Appropriate where multiple dischargers require permit coverage, sources and discharges are similar, permit conditions are relatively uniform
– Permit must identify:• Area of coverage• Sources covered• Application process (Notice of Intent)
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Permit ComponentsPermit ComponentsComponents of All Permits
Cover Page
Effluent Limitations
Technology-Based
Water Quality-Based
Monitoring & ReportingRequirements
Special ConditionsCompliance Schedules
Storm WaterSpecial Studies, Evaluations, and
Other Requirements
Standard Conditions
Industry-SpecificComponents
• Effluent Guidelines• BPJ
• BMPs
Municipal-SpecificComponents
• Secondary• Equivalent to Secondary
• Pretreatment• CSOs• Municipal Sewage Sludge
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NPDES ImplementationNPDES Implementation
Before State/Tribal program approval:– EPA issues permits– EPA conducts compliance and monitoring activities– EPA enforces
After State/Tribal program approval:– States implement as above– EPA role = oversight
• Grants• Administrative, technical and legal support and training• Enforcement as necessary
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State NPDES Program Authority State NPDES Program Authority (as of January 2006)(as of January 2006)
AK
U.S. Territories
American Samoa
Guam
Johnston Atoll
Midway/Wake Islands
Northern Mariana Islands
Puerto Rico
Virgin Islands State NPDES Program Status
Fully authorized
Unauthorized
HI
CANV
AZ
OR
WA
ID
UT CO
WY
MT ND
SD
NE
KS
IA
MO
NMOK
TX
AR
LA
MNWI
IL IN OH
MIPA
WV VA
MS AL
TNKY
NC
SCGA
FL
MEVT
NHMA
RICT
NY
NJ
DC
MDDE
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Overview of the Current and Projected Overview of the Current and Projected NPDES Universe NPDES Universe (Estimates as of 09/30/2007)(Estimates as of 09/30/2007)
• Individual Permits• POTWs• Non-POTWs or Non-municipals
6,700(4,200) (2,500)
• Individual Permits—site specific requirements• POTWs• Non-POTWs or Non-municipals
39,000(10,000) (29,000)
• Covered by General Permits• Non-Stormwater• POTWs and Industrial Facilities
67,000
Type of Facility Approximate No. of Facilities
Major
Minor
Minor
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Overview of the Current and Projected Overview of the Current and Projected NPDES Universe NPDES Universe (continued)(continued)
Stormwater: Phase II Industrial 36,000
Stormwater: Phase I Construction 158,500 per year
Stormwater: Phase II Construction 91,500 per year
Stormwater: Phase I MS4s 1,000
Stormwater: Phase II MS4s 6,000
Stormwater: Phase I Industrial 96,500
Type of Facility Approximate Number of Facilities
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Permit ComponentsPermit ComponentsComponents of All Permits
Cover Page
Effluent Limitations
Technology-Based
Water Quality-Based
Monitoring Requirements
Special ConditionsCompliance Schedules
Storm WaterSpecial Studies, Evaluations, and
Other Requirements
Standard Conditions
Industry-SpecificComponents
• Effluent Guidelines• BPJ
• BMPs
Municipal-SpecificComponents
• Secondary• Equivalent to Secondary• MEP for Storm Water• NMC for CSOs
• Pretreatment• CSOs• Municipal Sewage Sludge
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TechnologyTechnology-- and Water Qualityand Water Quality--Based Effluent LimitsBased Effluent Limits
Basis:
Goal:
Reg. Cite:
Technology
“Zero Dischargeof Pollutants”
40 CFR 122.44(a)&(e)40 CFR 125.3
Water Quality
“Fishable/Swimmable”
40 CFR 122.44(d)
Technology-based effluent limits are developed for all applicable pollutants of concern. If these limits are not adequate to protect water quality, then water quality-based effluent limits must be developed.
Relationship:
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TechnologyTechnology--Based RequirementsBased Requirements
Purpose– Establish minimum level of pollutant
controls for all point source dischargers• Conventional pollutants• Non-conventional pollutants• Toxic pollutants
– Provide equity among dischargers within categories
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TechnologyTechnology--Based RequirementsBased Requirements
Technology-based requirements implemented through NPDES permitsNational technology-based standards are available– Effluent guidelines for non-municipal– Secondary treatment standards for municipal
In the absence of National standards– Technology-based requirements developed on a
case-by-case basis
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Developing Effluent LimitationsDeveloping Effluent Limitations
Will LimitsAssure Compliance with Applicable Water Quality
Standards?
Include Applicable Effluent Limits in NPDES Permit
No Develop Water Quality-Based Effluent Limits
Develop Technology-Based Effluent Limits for All Pollutants of Concern
Yes
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StandardsStandards--toto--Permits ProcessPermits Process
40 CFR §122.44(d)
Technical Support Document for Water Quality-based Toxics Control(EPA/505/2-90-001), March 1991
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StandardsStandards--toto--Permits ProcessPermits ProcessDevelop Technology-Based Limits for All
Pollutants of Concern (POC)
Has a TMDL been developed for the
POC?
Is there “Reasonable Potential”?
Calculate WQ-Based Wasteload Allocation
(WLA)
Place Technology-Based Limits in NPDES
Permits or collect more data
Yes
Yes No
Continued
No
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StandardsStandards--toto--Permits Process Permits Process (Continued)(Continued)
Calculate WQ-Based Wasteload Allocation
Use statistical procedure to develop Long Term Average
(LTA)
Use statistical procedure to develop Maximum Daily Limit (MDL) and Average Monthly
Limit (AML)
YesPlace Water Quality-Based limits
in permit
Are WQ-based MDL and
AML more stringent than Technology-
Based limits?
Place Technology-Based limits
in Permit
No
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Components of TMDLComponents of TMDL
Wasteload allocations (WLAs) are assigned to each point source discharge
Load allocations (LAs) are assigned to nonpoint sources
WLAs and LAs are established so that predicted receiving water concentrations do not exceed water quality criteria
Other Loads(Nonpoint Background)
ReserveCapacity
Point Source#1
Point Source#2
Point Source#3
Point Source#4
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Reasonable PotentialReasonable Potential40 CFR 40 CFR §§122.44(d)(1)(i)122.44(d)(1)(i)
Limitations must control all pollutants or pollutant parameters that are or may be discharged at a level which will cause, have reasonable potential to cause, or contribute to an excursion above any state water quality standard.
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Reasonable Potential Analysis with Reasonable Potential Analysis with Effluent DataEffluent Data
Rel
ativ
e Fr
eque
ncy
Concentration
Lognormal Distribution
•
Coefficient of Variation (CV)
Projected Maximum Expected Value
X
Long Term Average (LTA)
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Reasonable Potential AnalysisReasonable Potential Analysis
Projected Maximum Effluent
Concentration
Water Quality Model
Projected Receiving Water
Concentration (Cr)
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Is Dilution Allowed?Is Dilution Allowed?
Clean Water Act does not require attaining water quality criteria at the point of dischargeStates have discretion to allow dilutionStates should specify any conditions on dilution allowances as part of their water quality standards122.44(d)(2) states that when establishing WQBELs “should account for dilution of the effluent in the receiving water (where appropriate)”
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Do water quality standards allow consideration of dilution?
Criteria apply at end of pipe
YesNo
Is Dilution Allowed?Is Dilution Allowed?
Determine level of dilution allowed by
water quality standards
Continue to next step
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Mixing ConsiderationsMixing Considerations
Is there rapid and complete mixing?
Complete mix assessment
Yes NoIncomplete mix assessment
(mixing zone)
Are resources available for dynamic modeling and isa dynamic model desirable?
Steady statemodel
Dynamic model
No Yes
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Determining the Need for a LimitDetermining the Need for a Limit
If projected receiving water concentration > State WQ criterion, then need to establish a WQ-based limit.
If projected receiving water concentration < State WQ criterion, then no need to establish a WQ-based limit.
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TMDLTMDL--Based Wasteload AllocationBased Wasteload Allocation
WLA = portion of the receiving water’s total maximum daily load (TMDL) that is allocated to a specific point source
WLA
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FacilityFacility--Specific Wasteload AllocationSpecific Wasteload Allocation
WLA = the maximum allowable pollutant concentration in the effluent from ABC, Inc. which, after accounting for available dilution, will meet water quality standards in-stream
ABC, Inc.
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Goal is to Reduce Effluent Concentrations Goal is to Reduce Effluent Concentrations to Below the WLAto Below the WLA
Existing
Rel
ativ
e Fr
eque
ncy
ConcentrationWLA0
Desired
X
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We Can Characterize the Desired We Can Characterize the Desired Distribution by LTA and CVDistribution by LTA and CV
Rel
ativ
e Fr
eque
ncy
WLA0
CV
LTAConcentration
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We Can Determine the Effluent Limits We Can Determine the Effluent Limits Based Upon the DistributionBased Upon the Distribution
Rel
ativ
e Fr
eque
ncy
ConcentrationMDL0
CV
LTA AML
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Compliance SchedulesCompliance Schedules
Compliance schedules in permits vs. schedules in enforcement orders
CS Provisions in CA Basin Plans
EPA Position: Hanlon memo, PQR
State Board Position: Policy
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Hanlon MemoHanlon Memo
Compliance “as soon as possible”
Enforceable final limit, sequence of actions in permit
CS must be “appropriate”
CS not allowed solely to develop TMDL, UAA, or SSOs
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California Statewide CS PolicyCalifornia Statewide CS Policy
Adopted April 15, 2008
If approved, supersedes Basin Plans
Allows CS for some “newly-interpreted standards”
10 year limits, with TMDL exception
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Water Permits Division ContactsWater Permits Division Contacts
Patrick Bradley– (202) 564-0729– [email protected]
Marcus Zobrist– (202) 564-8311– [email protected]
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EPA Region 9 NPDES Permits OfficeEPA Region 9 NPDES Permits Office
Nancy Yoshikawa– (415) 972-3535– [email protected]