Section 170. Sector I - Oil and gas extraction and refining

A. Discharges covered under this section. The requirements listed under this section apply to stormwater discharges associated with industrial activity from oil and gas extraction and refining facilities listed under SIC Major Group 13 which have had a discharge of a reportable quantity (RQ) of oil or a hazardous substance for which notification is required under 40 CFR 110.6, 40 CFR 117.21 or 40 CFR 302.6. These include oil and gas exploration, production, processing, or treatment operations, or transmission facilities that discharge stormwater contaminated by contact with or that has come into contact with any overburden raw material, intermediate products, finished products, by-products or waste products located on the site of such operations. Industries in SIC Major Group 13 include the extraction and production of crude oil, natural gas, oil sands and shale; the production of hydrocarbon liquids and natural gas from coal; and associated oilfield service, supply and repair industries. This section also covers petroleum refineries listed under SIC Code 2911.

Contaminated stormwater discharges from petroleum refining or drilling operations that are subject to nationally established BAT or BPT guidelines found at 40 CFR Part 419 and 40 CFR Part 435 respectively are not authorized by this permit.

Note: most contaminated discharges from petroleum refining and drilling facilities are subject to these effluent guidelines and are not eligible for coverage under this permit.

B. Special conditions. Prohibition of nonstormwater discharges. In addition to the general prohibition of nonstormwater discharges in Part I B 1, the following discharges are not covered by this permit: discharges of vehicle and equipment washwater, including tank cleaning operations. Alternatively, washwater discharges must be authorized under a separate VPDES permit, or be discharged to a sanitary sewer in accordance with applicable industrial pretreatment requirements.

C. Stormwater pollution prevention plan requirements. In addition to the requirements of Part III, the SWPPP shall include, at a minimum, the following items.

1. Site description.

a. Site map. The site map shall identify where any of the following may be exposed to precipitation or surface runoff: reportable quantity (RQ) releases; locations used for the treatment, storage or disposal of wastes; processing areas and storage areas; chemical mixing areas; construction and drilling areas; all areas subject to the effluent guidelines requirement of "No Discharge" in accordance with 40 CFR 435.32 and the structural controls to achieve compliance with the "No Discharge" requirement.

b. Summary of potential pollutant sources.

(1) The plan shall also include a description of the potential pollutant sources from the following activities: chemical, cement, mud or gel mixing activities; drilling or mining activities; and equipment cleaning and rehabilitation activities.

(2) The plan shall include information about the RQ release which triggered the permit application requirements, including: the nature of the release (e.g., spill of oil from a drum storage area); the amount of oil or hazardous substance released; amount of substance recovered; date of the release; cause of the release (e.g., poor handling techniques and lack of containment in the area); areas affected by the release, including land and waters; procedure to cleanup release; actions or procedures implemented to prevent or improve response to a release; and remaining potential contamination of stormwater from release (taking into account human health risks, the control of drinking water intakes, and the designated uses of the receiving water).

2. Stormwater controls: Sediment and erosion control. The sediment and erosion control additional documentation requirements for well drillings and sand or shale mining areas are as follows:

a. Site description. Each plan shall provide a description of the following:

(1) A description of the nature of the exploration activity;

(2) Estimates of the total area of the site and the area of the site that is expected to be disturbed due to the exploration activity;

(3) An estimate of the runoff coefficient of the site;

(4) A site map indicating drainage patterns and approximate slopes; and

(5) The name of all receiving water(s).

b. Vegetative controls. The SWPPP shall include a description of vegetative practices designed to preserve existing vegetation where attainable and revegetate open areas as soon as practicable after grade drilling. Such practices may include: temporary or permanent seeding, mulching, sod stabilization, vegetative buffer strips, tree protection practices. The permittee shall initiate appropriate vegetative practices on all disturbed areas within 14 calendar days of the last activity at that area.

c. Procedures in the plan shall provide that all erosion and sedimentation controls on the site are inspected at least once every seven calendar days.

Sector J – Mineral Mining and Dressing (SIC 1411-1499). Facilities described by this sector are not covered by this general permit. Facilities with stormwater discharges that fall under this sector should apply for coverage under the VPDES Nonmetallic Mineral Mining General Permit (VAG 84).

Historical Notes

Derived from Volume 15, Issue 09, eff. June 30, 1999; amended, Virginia Register Volume 20, Issue 16, eff. July 1, 2004; Volume 25, Issue 19, eff. June 24, 2009; Volume 30, Issue 11, eff. July 1, 2014.

Statutory Authority

§ 62.1-44.15 of the Code of Virginia; § 402 of the federal Clean Water Act; 40 CFR Parts 122, 123, and 124.