[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 215 (Tuesday, November 8, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67703-67704]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-22252]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7994-5]


Notice of Availability of Draft NPDES General Permit for Small 
Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems in the Commonwealth of Puerto 
Rico and Federal Facilities in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice of Draft NPDES General Permits--PRR040000 and PRR04000F.

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SUMMARY: The Director of the Caribbean Environmental Protection 
Division (CEPD), Environmental Protection Agency--Region 2 (EPA), is 
issuing Notice of a Draft National Pollutant Discharge Elimination 
System (NPDES) general permit for discharges from small municipal 
separate storm sewer systems (MS4) to waters of the Commonwealth of 
Puerto Rico. This draft NPDES general permit establishes Notice of 
Intent (NOI) requirements, standards, prohibitions and management 
practices for discharges of storm water from municipal separate storm 
sewer systems. Owners and/or operators of small MS4s that discharge 
storm water will be required to submit a NOI to EPA-CEPD to be covered 
by the general permit and will receive a written notification from EPA-
CEPD of permit coverage and authorization to discharge under the 
general permit. The eligibility requirements are discussed in the draft 
permit. The municipality must meet the eligibility requirements of the 
permit prior to submission of the NOI. This general permit does not 
cover new sources as defined under 40 CFR 122.2.

DATES: Public comments are due by midnight on February 6, 2006. The 
general permit shall be effective on the

[[Page 67704]]

date specified in the final general permit published in the Federal 
Register and will expire five years from the date that the final permit 
is published in the Federal Register. Within the comment period, 
interested persons may request a public hearing pursuant to 40 CFR 
124.12 concerning the proposed permit. Requests for a public hearing 
must be sent or delivered in writing to the same address as provided 
below for public comments prior to the close of the comment period. 
Requests for a public hearing must state the nature of the issues 
proposed to be raised in the hearing. Pursuant to 40 CFR 124.12, EPA 
shall hold a public hearing if it finds, on the basis of requests, a 
significant degree of public interest in a public hearing on the 
proposed permit. If EPA decides to hold a public hearing, a public 
notice of the date, time and place of the hearing will be made at least 
30 days prior to the hearing.

ADDRESSES: The draft permit is based on an administrative record 
available for public review at EPA--Region 2, Caribbean Environmental 
Protection Division, Centro Europa Building, Suite 417, 1492 Ponce de 
Leon Avenue, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00907-4127.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Additional information concerning the 
draft permit may be obtained between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 
p.m. Monday through Friday excluding holidays from: Sergio Bosques, 
Caribbean Environmental Protection Division, Environmental Protection 
Agency, Centro Europa Building, Suite 417, 1492 Ponce de Leon Avenue, 
San Juan, Puerto Rico 00907-4127; telephone: 787-977-5838; e-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This general permit covers storm water 
discharges from small municipal separate storm sewer systems meeting 
the definition of ``small municipal separate storm sewer system'' at 40 
CFR 122.26(b)(16) and designated under 40 CFR 122.32(a)(1) or 40 CFR 
122.32(a)(2). Designation under 40 CFR 122.32(a)(1) applies to small 
MS4s located in an urbanized area. Designation under 40 CFR 
122.32(a)(2) applies to small MS4s determined to need a permit by the 
Director. A small MS4 is a conveyance or system of conveyances--
including roads with drainage systems, municipal streets, catch basins, 
curbs, gutters, ditches, manmade channels, or storm drains. This system 
must be owned or operated by a municipality. A municipality includes 
the following entities: The United States, a State, city, town, 
borough, county, parish, district, association, or other public body 
(created by or pursuant to State law) having jurisdiction over disposal 
of sewage, industrial wastes, storm water, or other wastes including 
special districts under State law such as a sewer, flood control 
district or drainage district, or similar entity, or a designated and 
approved management agency under section 208 of the CWA that discharges 
to waters of the United States. A Fact Sheet sets forth principal facts 
and the significant factual, legal, and policy issues considered in the 
development of the draft permit. To obtain a paper copy of the 
documents, please contact Sergio Bosques using the contact information 
provided above.
    When the general permits are issued, the notice of final issuance 
will be published in the Federal Register. The general permits shall be 
effective on the date specified in the notice of final issuance of the 
general permits published in the Federal Register and will expire five 
years from the effective date of the permit.

    Authority: Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.

    Dated: September 30, 2005.
Jose C. Font,
Acting Director, Caribbean Environmental Protection Division, EPA 
Region 2.
[FR Doc. 05-22252 Filed 11-7-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P