{"id":826,"date":"2010-07-09T21:08:57","date_gmt":"2010-07-10T01:08:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thebeatnews.org\/BeatTeam\/?page_id=826"},"modified":"2016-10-16T07:42:45","modified_gmt":"2016-10-16T11:42:45","slug":"npdes","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.thebeatnews.org\/BeatTeam\/npdes\/","title":{"rendered":"National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)"},"content":{"rendered":"<style> .page-title {display: none;}<br \/><\/style>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-27432 alignleft\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thebeatnews.org\/BeatTeam\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/stormdrain-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Photo of a storm drain\" width=\"284\" height=\"189\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thebeatnews.org\/BeatTeam\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/stormdrain-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.thebeatnews.org\/BeatTeam\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/stormdrain-90x60.jpg 90w, https:\/\/www.thebeatnews.org\/BeatTeam\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/stormdrain.jpg 420w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 284px) 100vw, 284px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 20pt;\">National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)<\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\">EPA&#8217;s\u00a0program for regulating the discharge of\u00a0pollutants into our waters.<\/span><\/h3>\n<hr \/>\n<p class=\"generaltext\"><span class=\"style1\" style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Disclaimer: We are not legal experts. We have learned what we know about environmental regulations by working with the public and with local, state, and federal regulators. BEAT suggests that you consult the actual texts of the laws and regulations or the local, state, and federal agencies responsible for administering and enforcing these laws and regulations if you have legal questions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"generaltext\">From the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/npdes\" target=\"_blank\">website<\/a> of the US Environmental Protection Agency:<\/p>\n<p><em>&#8220;The NPDES permit program\u00a0addresses\u00a0water pollution by regulating point sources that discharge pollutants to waters of the United States. &#8230;\u00a0Created in 1972 by the Clean Water Act,\u00a0the NPDES permit program is authorized to state governments by EPA to perform many\u00a0permitting, administrative, and\u00a0enforcement aspects of the\u00a0program.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<p>BEAT&#8217;s NOTE: \u00a0Massachusetts is one of the states <strong>not<\/strong> authorized by EPA to administer the NPDES program. \u00a0In Massachusetts, this program is administered directly by EPA.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"generaltext\">There are 12\u00a0program areas in NPDES. They are:<\/p>\n<p class=\"generaltext\">\n<table id=\"tablepress-103\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-103 tablepress-responsive\">\n<tbody>\n<tr class=\"row-1\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">1. Animal Feeding Operations (AFOs)<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">7. National Pretreatment Program<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-2\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">2. Aquaculture<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">8. Pesticide Applications<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">3. Biosolids<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">9. Stormwater<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-4\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">4. Forest Roads<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">10. Vessels Incidental Discharge Permitting<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-5\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">5. Industrial Wastewater<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">11. Water Quality Trading<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-6\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">6. Municipal Wastewater<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">12. Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<!-- #tablepress-103 from cache -->\n<h4 class=\"generaltext\">9. STORMWATER<\/h4>\n<p class=\"generaltext\">The Stormwater program area has eight\u00a0categories:<\/p>\n<p class=\"generaltext\">\n<table id=\"tablepress-104\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-104 tablepress-responsive\">\n<tbody>\n<tr class=\"row-1\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">1. Stormwater Discharges from Construction Activities<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">5. Oil and Gas Stormwater Permitting<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-2\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">2. Stormwater Discharges from Industrial Activities<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">6. EPA's Residual Designation Authority<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">3. Stormwater Discharges from Municipal Sources<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">7. Stormwater Rules and Notices<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-4\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">4. Stormwater Discharges from Transportation Sources<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">8. Stormwater Maintenance<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<!-- #tablepress-104 from cache -->\n<p class=\"generaltext\"><strong>1. Stormwater Discharges From Construction Activities<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"generaltext\">Any construction site one acre or larger must obtain authorization to discharge stormwater by obtaining a NPDES construction stormwater permit. The one-acre limit may not be circumvented by dividing a one-acre or larger construction site into a number of smaller sites. The purpose of the program is to minimize harm to the environment from runoff from construction sites.<\/p>\n<p class=\"generaltext\">The operator must submit a Notice of Intent (NOI), develop a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP), implement the SWPPP&#8217;s Best Management Practices (BMPs), and complete an endangered species determination for the project site.<\/p>\n<p class=\"generaltext\">There is a 7-day waiting period after the filing of the NOI during which time the NOI is reviewed by EPA, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and National Marine Fisheries Service.<\/p>\n<p class=\"generaltext\">EPA&#8217;s website has more specific information on <a href=\"http:\/\/water.epa.gov\/polwaste\/npdes\/stormwater\/Stormwater-Discharges-From-Construction-Activities.cfm\" target=\"_blank\">NPDES Stormwater permits for Construction Activities<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"generaltext\"><a name=\"IndStormwater\"><\/a>You can search on EPA&#8217;s website to see<a href=\"http:\/\/cfpub.epa.gov\/npdes\/stormwater\/noi\/noisearch.cfm\" target=\"_blank\"> stormwater NOIs<\/a> filed for projects in your town.<\/p>\n<p class=\"generaltext\"><strong>2. Stormwater Discharge From Industrial Activities <\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"generaltext\">In order to minimize the impact of stormwater discharges from industrial sites, any industrial site that falls within one of <a href=\"..\/?page_id=898\">10 categories<\/a> defined by the Environmental Protection Agency and that discharges or has the potential to discharge stormwater into a municipal stormwater system or directly into a body of water must obtain a NPDES industrial stormwater permit. This permit is also called a Multi-Sector General Permit for Industrial Activities (MSGP).<\/p>\n<p class=\"generaltext\">The MSGP provides facility-specific requirements for many types of industrial facilities within one overall permit. The permit outlines steps that facility operators must take prior to being eligible for permit coverage, including development and implementation of a <a name=\"mssss\"><\/a>stormwater pollution prevention plan (SWPPP).<\/p>\n<p class=\"generaltext\">EPA&#8217;s website has more specific information on <a href=\"http:\/\/cfpub.epa.gov\/npdes\/stormwater\/msgp.cfm\" target=\"_blank\">NPDES Stormwater permits for Industrial Activities<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.epa.gov\/npdes\/pubs\/industrial_swppp_guide.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">guidance on SWPPPs<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"generaltext\"><strong>3. Stormwater Discharges From Municipal\u00a0Sources<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"generaltext\">NPDES stormwater permits for municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4) cover municipal stormwater systems and some <a href=\"..\/?page_id=912\">non-municipal stormwater systems<\/a> as well. Stormwater systems must be designed to prevent harmful pollutants from being washed by stormwater runoff into the stormwater system or into local waterbodies. The MS4 permitting process is relatively new and is being phased in over time. In Berkshire County only Pittsfield is required to have an MS4 permit, and it is covered under a small MS4 permit.<\/p>\n<p class=\"generaltext\">There are three categories of permitting based on the size of the municipality covered by the system.<\/p>\n<p>A small MS4 covers systems serving a population of up to 100,000.<br \/>\nA medium MS4 covers systems serving a population of 100,000 to 249,999.<br \/>\nA large MS4 covers systems serving a population of 250,000 or more.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.epa.gov\/region1\/npdes\/stormwater\/index.html#smallms4program\" target=\"_blank\">EPA website<\/a> has further information on small MS4 permits and requirements.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) EPA&#8217;s\u00a0program for regulating the discharge of\u00a0pollutants into our waters. Disclaimer: We are not legal experts. We have learned what we know about environmental regulations by working with the public and with local, state, and&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":9,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-826","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","entry","no-media"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) - Berkshire Environmental Action Team<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) is a program administered by the EPA to regulate the runoff of pollutants into our surface waters.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thebeatnews.org\/BeatTeam\/agencies-regs__trashed\/laws-and-regs__trashed\/npdes\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) - 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