[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 166 (Monday, August 26, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 43761]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-21671]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-5559-9]
Interim Permitting Approach for Water Quality-Based Effluent
Limitations in Storm Water Permits
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) has issued a policy outlining an interim approach for
incorporating water quality-based effluent limitations into storm water
permits.
Background and Purpose
Due to the nature of storm water discharges, and the typical lack
of information on which to base numeric water quality-based effluent
limitations (expressed as concentration and mass), EPA has developed an
interim permitting approach for National Pollution Discharge
Elimination System (NPDES) storm water permits. While this interim
permitting approach applies only to EPA, the Agency also encourages
authorized States and Tribes to adopt similar policies for storm water
permits.
The policy addresses issues related to the type of effluent
limitations that are most appropriate for NPDES storm water permits to
provide for the attainment of water quality standards. Since the policy
only applies to water quality-based effluent limitations, it is not
intended to affect technology-based limitations, such as those based on
effluent guidelines or the permit writer's best professional
judgements, that are incorporated into storm water permits. With this
policy, the Office of Water is seeking to fulfill objectives of the
1996-1997 National Water Program Agenda for the Future, including
reducing the threat of wet weather discharges to water quality,
providing States and local governments with greater flexibility to
solve wet weather problems, and identifying and taking appropriate
steps to reduce the existing burden of the Storm Water Phase I program.
Numerous parties were involved in preparing this policy. In
addition to receiving significant input from the Urban Wet Weather
Flows (UWWF) Federal Advisory Committee, EPA also consulted with the
States and Regional Storm Water Coordinators. This interim permitting
approach may be modified as a result of ongoing policy dialogue with
the UWWF Federal Advisory Committee.
Policy Statement
In response to recent questions regarding the type of water
quality-based effluent limitations that are most appropriate for
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) storm water
permits, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is adopting an
interim permitting approach for regulating wet weather storm water
discharges. Due to the nature of storm water discharges, and the
typical lack of information on which to base numeric water quality-
based effluent limitations (expressed as concentration and mass), EPA
will use an interim permitting approach for NPDES storm water permits.
The interim permitting approach uses best management practices
(BMPs) in first-round storm water permits, and expanded or better-
tailored BMPs in subsequent permits, where necessary, to provide for
the attainment of water quality standards. In cases where adequate
information exists to develop more specific conditions or limitations
to meet water quality standards, these conditions or limitations are to
be incorporated into storm water permits, as necessary and appropriate.
This interim permitting approach is not intended to affect those storm
water permits that already include appropriately derived numeric water
quality-based effluent limitations. Since the policy only applies to
water quality-based effluent limitations, it is not intended to affect
technology-based limitations, such as those based on effluent
guidelines or the permit writer's best professional judgement, that are
incorporated into storm water permits.
Each storm water permit should include coordinated and cost-
effective monitoring program to gather necessary information to
determine the extent to which the permit provides for attainment of
applicable water quality standards and to determine the appropriate
conditions or limitations for subsequent permits. Such a monitoring
program may include, ambient monitoring, receiving water assessment,
discharge monitoring (as needed), or a combination of monitoring
procedures designed to gather necessary information.
This interim permitting approach applies only to EPA, however, EPA
also encourages authorized States and Tribes to adopt similar policies
for storm water permits. This interim permitting approach provides
time, where necessary, to more fully assess the range of issues and
possible options for the control of storm water discharges for the
protection of water quality. This interim permitting approach may be
modified as a result of the ongoing Urban Wet Weather Flows Federal
Advisory Committee policy dialogue on this subject.
DATES: The policy was signed by the Assistant Administrator for Water
on August 1, 1996.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: If you have questions about the police, please
contact, Bill Swietlik, Storm Water Phase I Matrix Manager, Office of
Wastewater Management, at (202) 260-9529 or William Hall, Urban Wet
Weather Flows Matrix Manager, Office of Wastewater Management, at (202)
260-1458, or by Internet: [email protected].
Dated: August 19, 1996.
Fred Lindsey,
Acting Director, Office of Wastewater Management, Designated Federal
Official.
[FR Doc. 96-21671 Filed 8-23-96; 8:45 am]
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