[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 23 (Thursday, February 3, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-2436]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: February 3, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
[FRL-4833-7]

 

Revision of the Vermont National Pollutant Discharge Elimination 
System Program To Authorize the Issuance of General Permits

AGENCY: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice of Approval of the National Pollutant Discharge 
Elimination System General Permit Program of the State of Vermont.

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SUMMARY: On August 26, 1993, the Regional Administrator for the 
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Region I, approved the State of 
Vermont's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) 
General Permit Program. On April 22, 1993, the Vermont Agency of 
Natural Resources (Vermont ANR) submitted a formal request for approval 
to revise its NPDES Permit Program to authorize the issuance of general 
NPDES permits. This action authorizes the State of Vermont to issue 
general permits in lieu of individual NPDES permits. Based on its 
review of Vermont's legal authority, EPA determined that no statutory 
or regulatory changes were necessary for the State to administer a 
general permit program. EPA has thus determined Vermont's program 
modification to be non-substantial.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William Wandle, U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, Region I (WMN), John F. Kennedy Federal Building, 
Boston, Massachusetts 02203, (617) 565-3585.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    EPA regulations at 40 CFR 122.28 provide for the issuance of 
general permits to regulate the discharge of wastewater which results 
from substantially similar operations, are of the same type wastes, 
require the same effluent limitations or operating conditions, require 
similar monitoring and are more appropriately controlled under a 
general permit rather than by individual permits.
    Vermont was authorized to administer the NPDES program on March 11, 
1974. As previously approved, the State's program did not include 
provisions for the issuance of general permits. A number of categories 
of discharges can be appropriately regulated by general permits. For 
these reasons, the Vermont ANR requested a revision of the State's 
NPDES program to provide for the issuance of general permits. The 
categories proposed for coverage under the general permit program 
include: Storm water discharges, non-contact cooling water, non-
pollution discharges and classes of discharges where individual permits 
for such a class would be substantially similar.
    Each general permit will be subject to EPA review and approval as 
provided by 40 CFR 123.44. Public notice and opportunity to request a 
hearing is also provided for each general permit.

II. Discussion

    The State of Vermont submitted in support of its request a program 
description, an Amendment to the Memorandum of Agreement, and copies of 
the relevant statutes and regulations for implementing the program. In 
addition, the State submitted a statement, dated November 20, 1992, by 
the Attorney General certifying, with appropriate citations to the 
statutes and regulations, that the State has adequate legal authority 
to administer the general permit program as required by 40 CFR 
123.23(c). The program description supplementing the original 
application for the NPDES program authority to administer the general 
permit program includes the authority to perform each of the activities 
set forth in 40 CFR 122.28. The Amendment to the Memorandum of 
Agreement between the State of Vermont ANR and EPA, Region I designates 
the procedures through which general permits will be issued and 
administered by the State. Based upon Vermont's program description and 
upon its experience in administering an approved NPDES program, EPA has 
concluded that the State will have the necessary procedures and 
resources to administer the general permit program.

III. Federal Register Notice of Approval of State NPDES Programs or 
Modifications

    Today's Federal Register notice announces the approval of Vermont's 
authority to issue general permits. EPA provides Federal Register 
notice of actions by the Agency approving or modifying a State NPDES 
program. The following table provides the public with a current listing 
of the status of NPDES permitting authority throughout the country.

IV. Review Under Executive Order 12291 and the Regulatory Flexibility 
Act

    The Office of Management and Budget has exempted this rule from the 
review requirements of Executive Order 12291 pursuant to section 8(b) 
of that Order.
    Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act, EPA is required to prepare a 
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis for all rules which may have a 
significant impact on a substantial number of small entities. Pursuant 
to section 605(d) of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et 
seq.), I certify that this State General Permit Program will not have a 
significant impact on a substantial number of small entities. Approval 
of the Vermont NPDES State General Permit Program establishes no new 
substantive requirements, nor does it alter the regulatory control over 
any industrial category. Approval of the Vermont NPDES State General 
Permits Program merely provides a simplified administrative process.

    Dated: January 25, 1994.
Patricia L. Meaney,
Acting Regional Administrator.

                                           State NPDES Program Status                                           
                                                    12/03/93                                                    
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                    Approved to                      Approved   
                                                  Approved State     regulate     Approved State      general   
                                                   NPDES permit       Federal      pretreatment       permits   
                                                      program       facilities        program         program   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama.........................................        10/19/79        10/19/79        10/19/79        06/26/91
Arkansas........................................        11/01/86        11/01/86        11/01/86        11/01/86
California......................................        05/14/73        05/05/78        09/22/89        09/22/89
Colorado........................................        03/27/75                                        03/04/83
Connecticut.....................................        09/26/73        01/09/89        06/03/81        03/10/92
Delaware........................................        04/01/74                                        10/23/92
Georgia.........................................        06/28/74        12/08/80        03/12/81        01/28/91
Hawaii..........................................        11/28/74        06/01/79        08/12/83        09/30/91
Illinois........................................        10/23/77        09/20/79                        01/04/84
Indiana.........................................        01/01/75        12/09/78                        04/02/91
Iowa............................................        08/10/78        08/10/78        06/03/81        08/12/92
Kansas..........................................        06/28/74        08/28/85                       a11/24/93
Kentucky........................................        09/30/83        09/30/83        09/30/83        09/30/83
Maryland........................................        09/05/74        11/10/87        09/30/85        09/30/91
Michigan........................................        10/17/73        12/09/78      06/07/83 a        11/29/93
Minnesota.......................................        06/30/74        12/09/78        07/16/79        12/15/87
Mississippi.....................................        05/01/74        01/28/83        05/13/82        09/27/91
Missouri........................................        10/30/74        06/26/79        06/03/81        12/12/85
Montana.........................................        06/10/74        06/23/81                        04/29/83
Nebraska........................................        06/12/74        11/02/79        09/07/84        07/20/89
Nevada..........................................        09/19/75        08/31/78                        07/27/92
New Jersey......................................        04/13/82        04/13/82        04/13/82        04/13/82
New York........................................        10/28/75        06/13/80                        10/15/92
North Carolina..................................        10/19/75        09/28/84        06/14/82        09/06/91
North Dakota....................................        06/13/75        01/22/90                        01/22/90
Ohio............................................        03/11/74        01/28/83        07/27/83        08/17/92
Oregon..........................................        09/26/73        03/02/79        03/12/81        02/23/82
Pennsylvania....................................        06/30/78        06/30/78                        08/02/91
Rhode Island....................................        09/17/84        09/17/84        09/17/84        09/17/84
South Carolina..................................        06/10/75        09/26/80        04/09/82        09/03/92
Tennessee.......................................        12/28/77        09/30/86        08/10/83        04/18/91
Utah............................................        07/07/87        07/07/87        07/07/87        07/07/87
Vermont.........................................        03/11/74                        03/16/82       b08/26/93
Virgin Islands..................................        06/30/76                                                
Virginia........................................        03/31/75        02/09/82        04/14/89        05/20/91
Washington......................................        11/14/73                        09/30/86        09/26/89
West Virginia...................................        05/10/82        05/10/82        05/10/82        05/10/82
Wisconsin.......................................        02/04/74        11/26/79        12/24/80        12/19/86
Wyoming.........................................        01/30/75        05/18/81                        09/24/91
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    TOTALS......................................        39              34              27              38      
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Fully Authorized Programs (Federal Facilities, Pretreatment, General Permits) = 25                    
aNew.                                                                                                           
bThis Action.                                                                                                   


[FR Doc. 94-2436 Filed 2-2-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P