[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 160 (Thursday, August 18, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 55194]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-19541]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-9950-79-Region 1]


Notice of Availability of Draft NPDES General Permits for 
Remediation Activity Discharges in Massachusetts and New Hampshire: The 
Remediation General Permit

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of Availability of DRAFT NPDES General Permits MAG910000 
and NHG910000.

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SUMMARY: The Director of the Office of Ecosystem Protection, U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency--Region 1 (EPA), is providing a notice 
of availability of draft National Pollutant Discharge Elimination 
System (NPDES) general permits for discharges from sites engaged in 
certain remediation activities to certain waters of the Commonwealth of 
Massachusetts and the State of New Hampshire. The draft NPDES general 
permits establish Notice of Intent (NOI), Notice of Change (NOC), and 
Notice of Termination (NOT) requirements, effluent limitations and 
requirements, standard and special conditions and best management 
practice (BMP) requirements for sites that discharge 1.0 million 
gallons per day or less in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. These 
general permits replace the Remediation General Permit (RGP) that 
expired on September 9, 2015.

DATES: Comment on the draft general permits must be received on or 
before September 19, 2016.
    Public Hearing Information: EPA will hold a public hearing, if 
necessary, in accordance with 40 CFR 124.12 and will provide interested 
parties with the opportunity to provide written and/or oral comments 
for the official administrative record.

ADDRESSES: Comments on the draft RGP shall be submitted by one of the 
following methods: (1) Email: [email protected]; or (2) Mail: U.S. 
EPA Region 1, Attn: Shauna Little, 5 Post Office Square, Suite 100, 
Mail Code OEP06-4, Boston, MA 02109-3912. No facsimiles (faxes) will be 
accepted.
    The draft RGP is based on an administrative record available for 
public review at EPA-Region 1, Office of Ecosystem Protection, 5 Post 
Office Square, Suite 100, Boston, Massachusetts 02109-3912. A 
reasonable fee may be charged for copying requests. The fact sheet for 
the draft RGP sets forth principal facts and the significant factual, 
legal, methodological and policy questions considered in the 
development of the draft general permit and is available upon request. 
A brief summary is provided as supplementary information below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Additional information concerning the 
draft general permits may be obtained between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 
p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding holidays, from Shauna Little, 
U.S. EPA Region 1, 5 Post Office Square, Suite 100, Mail Code OEP06-4, 
Boston, MA 02109-3912.; telephone: 617-918-1989; email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    General Information: EPA is proposing to reissue two general 
permits for discharges from sites engaged in remediation activities 
from eight general categories: (1) Petroleum-related site remediation; 
(2) Non-petroleum-related site remediation; (3) Contaminated/formerly 
contaminated site dewatering; (4) Pipeline and tank dewatering; (5) 
Aquifer pump testing; (6) Well development/rehabilitation; (7) 
Dewatering/remediation of collection structures; and (8) Dredge-related 
dewatering. While the draft general permits are two distinct permits, 
for convenience, EPA has grouped them together in a single document and 
has provided a single fact sheet. This document refers to the draft 
general ``permit'' in the singular. The draft general permit, 
appendices and fact sheet are available at: http://www.epa.gov/region1/npdes/rgp.html. The draft general permit includes effluent limitations 
and requirements based on technology-based considerations, best 
professional judgment (BPJ), and water quality considerations. The 
effluent limits established in the draft general permit assure that the 
surface water quality standards of the receiving water(s) are attained 
and/or maintained. The permit also contains BMP requirements in order 
to ensure EPA has the information necessary to ensure compliance and to 
ensure discharges meet water quality standards.
    Obtaining Authorization: In order to obtain authorization to 
discharge, operators must submit a complete and accurate NOI containing 
the information in Appendix IV--Part 1 of the draft general permit. 
Operators with existing discharges must submit a NOI within 90 days of 
the effective date of the final general permit. Operators with new 
discharges must submit a NOI at least 30 days prior to initiating 
discharges and following the effective date of the final general 
permit. The effective date of the final general permit will be 
specified in the Federal Register publication of the Notice of 
Availability of the final permit. Operators must meet the eligibility 
requirements of the general permit prior to submission of a NOI. An 
operator will be authorized to discharge under the general permit upon 
receipt of written notice from EPA following EPA's web posting of the 
submitted NOI. EPA will authorize the discharge, request additional 
information, or require the operator to apply for an alternative permit 
or an individual permit.
    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 RGP. EPA has requested concurrence from the 
appropriate federal services (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and 
National Marine Fisheries Service) in connection with this draft 
general permit.
    National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA): In accordance with NHPA, 
EPA has established provisions and documentation requirements for sites 
seeking coverage under the RGP to ensure that discharges or actions 
taken under this general 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: August 9, 2016.
H. Curtis Spalding,
Regional Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2016-19541 Filed 8-17-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P