[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 211 (Thursday, October 31, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58380-58381]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-23831]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-10001-82-Region 10]


Reissuance of NPDES General Permits for Aquaculture Facilities in 
Idaho Excluding Facilities Discharging into the Upper Snake-Rock 
Subbasin (IDG131000) and Aquaculture Facilities Located in Indian 
Country in Idaho (IDG133000)

AGENCY: Region 10, Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Reissuance of NPDES General Permits.

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SUMMARY: The Director of the Water Division, EPA Region 10, is 
reissuing two National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) 
General Permits for: (1) Aquaculture Facilities in Idaho Excluding 
Facilities Discharging into the Upper Snake-Rock Subbasin, and (2) 
Aquaculture Facilities Located in Indian Country in Idaho. The General 
Permits will authorize discharges of wastewater from cold and warm 
water Concentrated Aquatic Animal Production facilities, (also referred 
to as CAAPs or ``hatcheries''). The permits will largely replace and 
combine IDG131000, the NPDES General Permit for Cold Water Aquaculture 
Facilities in Idaho (not subject to Wasteload Allocations) and 
IDG130000, the NPDES General Permit for Aquaculture Facilities in Idaho 
(subject to Wasteload Allocations). Facilities covered under IDG130000 
that are not within the Upper Snake-Rock Subbasin will be

[[Page 58381]]

terminated once coverage under IDG131000 or IDG133000 is available. 
Facilities covered under IDG130000 that discharge within the Upper 
Snake-Rock Subbasin are not affected by this action and will remain 
covered under IDG130000. By separating out discharges from aquaculture 
facilities located in Indian County in Idaho, where the EPA is the 
permitting authority, under a separate General Permit (IDG133000), this 
action will facilitate the transfer of IDG131000 to the State of Idaho 
in 2020 as part of the phased implementation of Idaho's administration 
of the NPDES Program.

DATES: The issuance date of the General Permit is October 31, 2019, the 
date of publication of this notice. The General Permits will be 
effective December 1, 2019.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the general permits, Fact Sheet, and Response to 
Comments are available upon request. Written requests may be submitted 
to: Water Division; USEPA Region 10; 1200 Sixth Avenue, Suite 155, 
WD19-C04, Seattle, WA 98101-3188. Electronic requests may be sent to: 
[email protected]. For requests by phone, call Audrey 
Washington at (206) 553-0523. These documents can also be accessed 
online on the EPA Region 10 website at: www.epa.gov/npdes-permits/draft-npdes-general-permits-aquaculture-facilities-idaho.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. General Information

    There are approximately 25 facilities eligible for coverage under 
the two General Permits. Aquaculture facilities may use one of several 
types of production systems, including ponds, flow-through systems, and 
recirculating systems. Most of the facilities eligible for coverage 
under the General Permits use flow-through systems. Most facilities 
have a quiescent zone at the bottom of their raceways to allow solids 
and debris to settle out (where they can be vacuumed and removed) and 
use a full-flow settling basin or offline settling basin to remove 
sediment and associated pollutants prior to discharge.
    The General Permits include numeric effluent limits for total 
phosphorus and total suspended solids for all facilities and 
temperature limits for some facilities, as well as prohibitions on 
certain discharges and practices. Numeric limitations for facilities 
may differ depending on applicable Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) 
Wasteload Allocations. The Permit includes reporting requirements for 
usage of drugs and chemicals and the development of a Best Management 
Practices Plan. Major changes from the 2007 General Permit include: 
Removal of the percent total suspended solids removal requirement for 
offline settling basins; prohibition on copper usage; the addition of 
continuous temperature monitoring for some facilities; and 
miscellaneous monitoring revisions.
    Facilities will receive a written notification from the EPA whether 
permit coverage and authorization to discharge under one of the General 
Permits is approved.
    The EPA received 30 comments from 5 entities during the public 
comment period which extended from June 6, 2019 through July 22, 2019. 
The EPA also received tribal and state CWA 401 certifications, which 
can be found in Appendix D of the Fact Sheet. A Response to Comments 
document was prepared, which explains any changes made to Permit 
between proposal and final issuance.
    The EPA has completed a Biological Evaluation for these Permit 
actions. Consultation under the Endangered Species Act between the EPA 
and the National Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service has been completed. The Services concurred on the 
EPA's determination that the Permit actions are not likely to adversely 
affect species listed under the Endangered Species Act or designated 
critical habitat.

II. Other Legal Requirements

    This action was submitted to the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) for review under Executive Orders 12866, Regulatory Planning and 
Review, and 13563, Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review, and was 
determined to be not significant.
    Compliance with Endangered Species Act, Essential Fish Habitat, 
Paperwork Reduction Act, and other requirements are discussed in the 
Fact Sheet to the permits.
    Appeal of Permit: Any interested person may appeal the final permit 
action within 120 days of October 31, 2019 (i.e., the issuance date of 
this permit) in the Federal Court of Appeals in accordance with Section 
509(b)(1) of the CWA, 33 U.S.C. 1369(b)(1).

    Dated: October 23, 2019.
Daniel D. Opalski,
Director, Water Division, Region 10.
[FR Doc. 2019-23831 Filed 10-30-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P