[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 25 (Monday, February 7, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-2696]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: February 7, 1994]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-4834-6]

 

Revision of the Kansas National Pollutant Discharge Elimination 
System (NPDES) Program To Authorize the Issuance of General Permits

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of Approval of the NPDES General Permits Program of the 
State of Kansas.

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SUMMARY: On November 24, 1993, the Regional Administrator for the EPA, 
Region VII, approved the State of Kansas' NPDES General Permits 
Program. This action authorizes the State of Kansas to issue general 
permits in lieu of individual NPDES permits.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mr. Donald C. Toensing, Chief, Permits/Compliance Section, Water 
Compliance Branch, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region VII, 
726 Minnesota Avenue, Kansas City, Kansas 66101, (913) 551-7034.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    EPA regulations at 40 CFR 122.28 provide for the issuance of 
general permits to regulate discharges of wastewater which result from 
substantially similar operations, contain the same types of wastes, 
require the same effluent limitations or operating conditions, require 
similar monitoring, and are appropriately controlled under a general 
permit rather than individual permits.
    Kansas was authorized to administer the NPDES Permit Program in 
1974. As previously approved, the State's program did not include 
provisions for the issuance of general permits. There are several 
categories of discharges which could appropriately be regulated by 
general permits in Kansas, including storm water. Therefore, the Kansas 
Department of Health and Environment requested a revision of its NPDES 
program to provide for issuance of general permits.
    Each general permit will be subject to EPA review as provided by 40 
CFR 123.44. Public notice and opportunity to request a hearing is also 
provided or each general permit.

II. Discussion

    The State of Kansas submitted, in support of its request, a Program 
Description and revised NPDES Memorandum of Agreement between EPA and 
the State, as well as copies of relevant statutes and regulations. The 
State also submitted a statement by the Attorney General certifying, 
with appropriate citations to the statues and regulations, that the 
State has adequate legal authority to administer a general permit 
program consistent with the applicable federal regulations. Based upon 
Kansas' submission and its experience in administering an approved 
NPDES program, EPA has concluded that the State will have the necessary 
approved procedures and resources to administer the general permits 
program.
    Under 40 CFR 123.62, NPDES program revisions are either substantial 
(requiring publication of proposed program approval in the Federal 
Register for public comment) or non-substantial (where approval may be 
granted by letter from EPA to the State). EPA has determined that 
assumption by Kansas of general permit authority is a non-substantial 
revision of its NPDES program. EPA has generally viewed approval of 
such authority as non-substantial because it does not alter the 
substantive obligations of any discharger under the State program, but 
merely simplifies the procedures by which permits are issued to a 
number of similar point sources.
    Moreover, under the approved program, the State retains authority 
to issue individual permits where appropriate, and any person may 
request the State to issue an individual permit to a discharger 
otherwise eligible for general permit coverage. While not required 
under 40 CFR 123.62, EPA is publishing notice of this approval action 
to keep the public informed of the status of its general permit program 
approvals.

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

    The following table provides the public with an up-to-date list of 
the status of State NPDES permitting authority throughout the country. 
Today's Federal Register notice is to announce the approval of Kansas' 
authority to issue general permits.

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 Kansas NPDES State General Permit Program establishes no new 
substantive requirements, nor does it alter the regulatory control over 
any industrial category. Approval of the Kansas NPDES State General 
Permit Program merely provides a simplified administrative process.

    Dated: December 20, 1993.
William W. Rice,
Acting Regional Administrator, Region VII.

                                           State NPDES Program Status                                           
                                                   [12/30/93]                                                   
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                                        Approved State      Approved to       Approved State                    
                                         NPDES permit     regulate federal     pretreatment     Approved general
                                           program           facilities          program        permits 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  .................           11/24/93
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           04/16/85           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
South Dakota........................           12/30/93           12/30/93           12/30/93        \1\12/30/93
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           08/26/93
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
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    Totals..........................                 40                 35                 28                 39
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Number of Fully Authorized Programs (Federal Facilities, Pretreatment, General Permits)=25.                     
\1\New.                                                                                                         

[FR Doc. 94-2696 Filed 2-4-94; 8:45 am]
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