The Industrial Stormwater General Permit is Reissued
The draft industrial stormwater general permit and fact sheet were available for review and public comment from August 6, 2008 until 5 p.m., Friday, September 12, 2008. This proposal was the subject of a public workshop and hearing on September 11, 2008, at the department of ecology in Lacey, Washington. Ecology received written comments during the public comment period and responded to these comments in the fact sheet. The comments and the fact sheet may be reviewed at ecology's web site at http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/stormwater/industrial/index.html.
The industrial stormwater NPDES and state waste discharge general permit was issued by ecology on August 21, 2002, was reissued on August 15, 2007, and expired on May 31, 2008. Ecology has initiated a collaborative external advisory committee process to develop a simpler and more effective general permit. The committee will also address a broad range of related issues, including stormwater research and development, education and outreach, compliance inspections and enforcement. More information on the external advisory committee process is available at ecology's web site at http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/stormwater/industrial/index.html.
Purpose of the Industrial Stormwater General Permit: The general permit provides coverage for industries located in Washington state that discharge stormwater associated with industrial activities. Under federal and state water quality law (Federal Clean Water Act and State Water Pollution Control Act) a permit is required for the discharge of wastewater. A discharge of stormwater associated with industrial activities is a discharge of wastewater.
Most industrial activities that discharge stormwater either directly or indirectly to surface water are required to obtain permit authorization for their discharge unless they apply for and receive a "No Exposure" certificate. Specifically, facilities listed in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at 40 C.F.R. Subpart 122.26 (b)(14)(i)-(xi), excluding (x), stormwater discharges, are included for coverage under the modified permit. A more complete listing of facilities and applicable standard industrial codes (SIC) can be found in the draft permit in Appendix #1-Section C, categories 1-9 and 11.
Applying for Coverage under the Industrial Stormwater General Permit: Facilities covered under the existing industrial stormwater general permit will be automatically covered under the reissued permit. New or unpermitted facilities may obtain coverage under the reissued general permit by submitting a complete permit application to ecology and satisfying all applicable public notice and State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) requirements (WAC 173-226-200). The application is available online at http://www.ecy.wa.gov/biblio/ecy02084.html.
Requesting Copies of the Permit: You may download copies of the permit and fact sheet from the web site www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/stormwater/industrial/index.html, or you may request copies from Julie Robertson, phone (360) 407-6575, e-mail jrob461@ecy.wa.gov.