[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 173 (Monday, September 8, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 52938]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-22768]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7552-8]


Notice of Clarification of the Final National Pollutant Discharge 
Elimination System (NPDES) General Permit for the Eastern Portion of 
Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) of the Gulf of Mexico (GMG280000)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Regional Administrator (RA) of EPA Region 4 (the 
``Region'') is today issuing a notice of clarification to the final 
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) general permit 
for the Eastern Portion of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) of the 
Gulf of Mexico (General Permit No. GMG280000), to address Notice of 
Intent (NOI) requirements for discharges covered by the permit after 
April 30, 2003. This permit was published at 63 FR 55745 on October 16, 
1998, modified on March 14, 2001 at 66 FR 14988, and further revised on 
April 6, 2001 at 66 FR 18253 for discharges in the Offshore Subcategory 
of the Oil and Gas Extraction Point Source Category (40 CFR part 435, 
subpart A). The permit issued by Region 4, authorizes discharges from 
exploration, development, and production facilities located in and 
discharging to all Federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico seaward of the 
outer boundary of the territorial seas.
    This notice is applicable to new oil and gas operations 
(operations), which obtained coverage under the existing general permit 
coverage after April 30, 2003, and existing operations requesting 
continued coverage. The purpose of the notice is to clarify the 
procedure for these operations to request coverage under a continued 
general permit, since it does not clearly discuss this procedure. The 
language in the current permit referring to April 30, 2003, as the 
deadline for existing operations to submit Notices of Intent (NOIs) 
requesting continued coverage under this permit has been deleted. The 
clarification applies to both existing and new operations. Also, the 
word ``Subsequent'' in the title of Part I.A.6. of the current permit 
has been replaced with the word ``Continued.'' The change is made 
because the language in this Section does not provide a procedure to 
obtain coverage under a subsequently issued (renewed) general permit. 
Part I.A.6. is clarified as discussed above:
6. Intent to be Covered by a Continued Permit
    This permit shall expire on October 31, 2003. However, an expired 
general permit continues in force and effect until a new general permit 
is issued. Permittees must submit a new (a second) NOI in order to 
continue coverage under this general permit after it expires. In lieu 
of providing the information required by paragraph 4. of the section, 
the permittee may submit a list of facilities covered by the general 
permit and their associated permit coverage numbers. Facilities that 
have not submitted another NOI under the permit by the expiration date 
cannot become authorized to discharge under any continuation of this 
NPDES general permit. All NOI's from permittees requesting coverage 
under a continued permit should be sent by certified mail to: Director, 
Water Management Division, U.S. EPA, Region 4, Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal 
Center, 61 Forsyth Street, SW., Atlanta, GA 30303-8960.

DATES: This clarification is effective September 8, 2003.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karrie-jo Robinson-Shell, USEPA, 
Region 4, NPDES and Biosolids Permits Section at (404) 562-9308 or by 
e-mail at [email protected].

Gail Mitchell,
Acting Director, Water Management Division.
[FR Doc. 03-22768 Filed 9-5-03; 8:45 am]
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