US EPA has adopted a final storm water general NPDES permit for industrial facilities. This is a permit for industrial facilities like chemical or manufacturing plants that are not issued individual NPDES permits. This is not a permit for the discharge of process water that is generated during a plants' operations; this permit only addresses discharges of storm water (precipitation run off) from the parts of the plant property where the storm water could become polluted by chemicals, wastes, raw materials or other substances that are found at the plant.
The permit action was summarized by EPA as follows:
EPA Regions 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 9, and 10 today are finalizing EPA's NPDES general permit for stormwater discharges from industrial activity, also referred to as the Multi-Sector General Permit (MSGP).The MSGP consists of thirty four (34) separate Regional EPA permits that may vary from each other based on State or Tribal water quality- based requirements. This permit replaces the existing permits that expired on October 30, 2005. As with the earlier permits, this permit authorizes the discharge of stormwater associated with industrial activities in accordance with the terms and conditions described therein. Industrial dischargers have the choice to seek coverage under an individual permit. An individual permit may be necessary if the discharger cannot meet the terms and conditions or eligibility requirements in the permit.
West Virginia is not covered by this permit. It has been delegated the authority from EPA to issue its own permits, including storm water permits for industrial facilities and construction run off. The industrial storm water permit, referred to as the multi-sector permit because it applies to multiple industrial activities, is current until March 31, 2009. At that time it is likely to be reissued and will probably contain permit terms similar to those in the new federal permit that is being approved today.
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