[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 194 (Thursday, October 7, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60150-60151]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-22594]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL 7825-4]


Notice of Final NPDES General Permit for New and Existing Sources 
and New Dischargers in the Offshore Subcategory of the Oil and Gas 
Extraction Category for the Western Portion of the Outer Continental 
Shelf of the Gulf of Mexico (GMG290000)

SUMMARY: EPA Region 6 today issues a final National Pollutant Discharge 
Elimination System (NPDES) general permit for the Western Portion of 
the Outer Continental Shelf of the Gulf of Mexico (No. GMG290000). The 
general permit authorizes discharges from new sources, existing 
sources, and new dischargers in the Offshore Subcategory of the Oil and 
Gas Extraction Point Source Category (40 CFR part 435, subpart A). The 
reissued permit will become effective November 8, 2004. The existing 
permit published in the Federal Register, at 64 FR 19156 on April 19, 
1999 and modified on January 22, 2001 (66 FR 6850), authorizes 
discharges from exploration, development, and production facilities 
located in and discharging to Federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico 
seaward of the outer boundary of the territorial seas offshore of 
Louisiana and Texas. Today's action reissues the permit which expired 
on November 3, 2003.
    A copy of the Region's responses to comments and the final permit 
may be obtained from the EPA Region 6 Internet site: http://www.epa.gov/earth1r6/6wq/6wq.htm.
    A Record of Decision which completes the Environmental Assessment 
process required by the National Environmental Policy Act is also 
available at the above Internet address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Diane Smith, EPA Region 6, 1445 
Ross Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75202, Telephone: (214) 665 7191, or via e-
mail to the following address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Regulated Entities. Entities potentially regulated by this action 
are those which operate offshore oil and gas extraction facilities 
located in the Outer Continental Shelf Offshore of Louisiana and Texas.

[[Page 60151]]



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                                                Examples of regulated
                 Category                             entities
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Industry..................................  Offshore Oil and Gas
                                             Extraction Platforms.
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    This table lists the types of entities that EPA is now aware could 
potentially be regulated by this action. Other types of entities not 
listed in the table could also be regulated. To determine whether your 
(facility, company, business, organization, etc.) is regulated by this 
action, you should carefully examine the applicability criteria in Part 
I. Section A.1. of the general permit. If you have questions regarding 
the applicability of this action to a particular entity, consult the 
person listed in the preceding FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section.
    Pursuant to section 402 of the Clean Water Act (CWA), 33 U.S.C. 
section 1342, EPA proposed and solicited comments on NPDES general 
permit GMG290000 at 69 FR 39478 (June 30, 2004). Notice of this 
proposed permit modification was also published in the New Orleans 
Times Picayune, Lafayette Daily Advertiser, and Houston Chronicle on 
July 2, 2004. The comment period closed on July 30, 2004.
    Region 6 received comments from the Offshore Operators Committee, 
Petroleum Equipment Suppliers Association, Cognis Oilfield Chemicals, 
Minerals Management Service, Murphy Exploration and Development 
Company, and W&T Offshore, Inc.
    EPA Region 6 has considered all comments received. In response to 
those comments the following changes were made to the proposed permit. 
The effective date was changed to be 30 days after the publication date 
in the Federal Register. Produced water monitoring requirements are 
included for facilities located in the hypoxic zone. The analytical 
method for analysis of cadmium in barite is included. A new allowance 
is included for blending of compliant synthetic base fluids in drilling 
fluids. The discharge of hydrate control fluids was added to the list 
of miscellaneous discharges which are authorized. The toxicity limit 
for sub-sea fluids was decreased from 200 mg/l to 50 mg/l. Non-lethal 
effects are required to be reported for chronic toxicity testing and 
the dilution series required for testing was clarified. A number of 
minor typographical errors and clarifications were also made to the 
permit's language.

Miguel Flores,
Director, Water Quality Protection Division, EPA Region 6.
[FR Doc. 04-22594 Filed 10-6-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P