[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 191 (Thursday, October 2, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59489-59490]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-23537]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-9917-36-Region-1]


Availability of Final NPDES General Permits Mag250000 and 
Nhg250000 for Discharges of Non-Contact Cooling Water in Massachusetts 
and New Hampshire

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Director of the Office of Ecosystem Protection, 
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)--Region 1, is providing a notice 
of availability of the final National Pollutant Discharge Elimination 
System (NPDES) Non-contact Cooling Water General Permit (NCCW GP) for 
Massachusetts and New Hampshire. The general permit replaces the NCCW 
GP that expired on July 31, 2013.

DATES: The NCCW GP shall be effective on November 3, 2014 and will 
expire at midnight on November 4, 2019.

ADDRESSES: The required notice of intent (NOI) information to obtain 
permit coverage is provided in the NCCW GP. This information shall be 
submitted to both EPA and the appropriate state agency. NOIs may be 
sent via regular or overnight mail to EPA--Region 1, NCCW GP Processing 
OEP 06-4, 5 Post Office Square--Suite 100, Boston, Massachusetts 02109-
3912 and the appropriate state agency at the addresses listed in in 
Appendix 6 of the NCCW GP.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Additional information concerning the 
NCCW GP may be obtained between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday 
through Friday, excluding holidays, by contacting Suzanne Warner, 
Office of Ecosystem Protection (OEP 06-4), 5 Post Office Square--Suite 
100, Boston, MA 02109-3912; telephone: 617-918-1383; email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA is proposing to reissue two general 
permits for non-contact cooling water discharges to certain waters in 
the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the State of New Hampshire. While 
the general permits are two distinct permits, for convenience, EPA has 
grouped them together in a single document and will refer to them as a 
singular ``permit''. The general permit, appendices and fact sheet are 
available online at: http://www.epa.gov/region1/npdes/nccwgp.html.
    The general permit establishes NOI requirements, effluent 
limitations, standards, prohibitions, and in some

[[Page 59490]]

cases best technology available (BTA) requirements for facilities that 
discharge small amounts of non-contact cooling water in Massachusetts 
and New Hampshire.
    Non-contact cooling water is water used for cooling that does not 
come into contact with any raw material, intermediate product, waste 
product, or finished product; the only anticipated pollutant is heat. 
Discharges composed of anything other than non-contact cooling water 
will not be granted coverage under this general permit. Those 
dischargers must seek coverage under an individual permit or an 
appropriate general permit.
    The permit includes effluent limitations based on best professional 
judgment (BPJ) and water quality considerations. The effluent limits 
established in the permit assure that the surface water quality 
standards of the receiving water are maintained and/or attained. The 
permit also contains BTA requirements for cooling water intake 
structures for facilities that withdraw less than 1 million gallons per 
day of surface water for non-contact cooling in order to ensure source 
water protection. For facilities that use groundwater or municipal 
drinking water for non-contact cooling, the permit establishes effluent 
limitations and/or additional monitoring for expected constituents 
(metals and residual chlorine, respectively).

Other Legal Requirements

Endangered Species Act (ESA)

    EPA has updated the provisions and necessary actions and 
documentation related to potential impacts to endangered species from 
facilities seeking coverage under the NCCW GP. EPA has requested 
concurrence from the appropriate federal services (U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service) regarding the 
requirements of this general permit.

National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA)

    In accordance with NHPA, EPA has established provisions and 
documentation requirements for facilities seeking coverage under the 
NCCW GP to ensure that discharges or actions taken under this permit 
will not adversely affect historic properties and places.

    Authority:  This action is being taken under the Clean Water 
Act, 33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.

    Dated: September 24, 2014.
Carl Dierker,
Acting Regional Administrator, Region 1.
[FR Doc. 2014-23537 Filed 10-1-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P