Section 220. Sector O - Steam electric generating facilities

A. Discharges covered under this section. The requirements listed under this section apply to stormwater discharges associated with industrial activity from steam electric power generating facilities using coal, natural gas, oil, nuclear energy, etc. to produce a steam source, including coal handling areas (Industrial Activity Code "SE").

Stormwater discharges from coal pile runoff subject to numeric effluent limitations are eligible for coverage under this permit, but are subject to the limitations established by Part I A 1 c (2).

Stormwater discharges from ancillary facilities (e.g., fleet centers, gas turbine stations, and substations) that are not contiguous to a steam electric power generating facility are not covered by this permit. Heat capture and heat recovery combined cycle generation facilities are also not covered by this permit; however, dual fuel co-generation facilities that generate electric power are included.

B. Special conditions. Prohibition of nonstormwater discharges. In addition to the general nonstormwater prohibition in Part I B 1, nonstormwater discharges subject to effluent limitation guidelines are also not covered by this permit.

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

1. Site description. Site map. The site map shall identify the locations of any of the following activities or sources that may be exposed to precipitation or surface runoff: storage tanks, scrap yards, general refuse areas; short and long term storage of general materials (including, but not limited to: supplies, construction materials, paint equipment, oils, fuels, used and unused solvents, cleaning materials, paint, water treatment chemicals, fertilizer, and pesticides); landfills; construction sites; and stock pile areas (such as coal or limestone piles).

2. Stormwater controls.

a. Good housekeeping measures.

(1) Fugitive dust emissions. The permittee shall describe and implement measures that prevent or minimize fugitive dust emissions from coal and ash handling areas. The permittee shall minimize off-site tracking of coal dust and ash . Control measures to consider include installing specially designed tires, or washing vehicles in a designated area before they leave the site, and controlling the wash water.

(2) Delivery vehicles. The plan shall describe measures that prevent or minimize contamination of stormwater runoff from delivery vehicles arriving on the plant site. At a minimum the permittee shall consider the following:

(a) Develop procedures for the inspection of delivery vehicles arriving on the plant site, and ensure overall integrity of the body or container; and

(b) Develop procedures to deal with leakage and spillage from vehicles or containers.

(3) Fuel oil unloading areas. The plan shall describe measures that prevent or minimize contamination of precipitation or surface runoff from fuel oil unloading areas. At a minimum the permittee shall consider using the following measures, or an equivalent:

(a) Use of containment curbs in unloading areas;

(b) During deliveries, having station personnel familiar with spill prevention and response procedures present to ensure that any leaks and spills are immediately contained and cleaned up; and

(c) Use of spill and overflow protection (e.g., drip pans, drip diapers, or other containment devices placed beneath fuel oil connectors to contain potential spillage during deliveries or from leaks at the connectors).

(4) Chemical loading and unloading areas. The permittee shall describe and implement measures that prevent or minimize the contamination of precipitation or surface runoff from chemical loading and unloading areas. At a minimum the permittee shall consider using the following measures (or their equivalents):

(a) Use of containment curbs at chemical loading and unloading areas to contain spills;

(b) During deliveries, having station personnel familiar with spill prevention and response procedures present to ensure that any leaks or spills are immediately contained and cleaned up; and

(c) Covering chemical loading and unloading areas, and storing chemicals indoors.

(5) Miscellaneous loading and unloading areas. The permittee shall describe and implement measures that prevent or minimize the contamination of stormwater runoff from loading and unloading areas. The permittee shall consider the following, at a minimum (or their equivalents):

(a) Covering the loading area;

(b) Grading, berming, or curbing around the loading area to divert runon; or

(c) Locating the loading and unloading equipment and vehicles so that leaks are contained in existing containment and flow diversion systems.

(6) Liquid storage tanks. The permittee shall describe and implement measures that prevent or minimize contamination of stormwater runoff from aboveground liquid storage tanks. At a minimum the permittee shall consider employing the following measures (or their equivalents):

(a) Use of protective guards around tanks;

(b) Use of containment curbs;

(c) Use of spill and overflow protection; and

(d) Use of dry cleanup methods.

(7) Large bulk fuel storage tanks. The permittee shall describe and implement measures that prevent or minimize contamination of stormwater runoff from large bulk fuel storage tanks. At a minimum the permittee shall consider employing containment berms (or its equivalent). The permittee shall also comply with applicable state and federal laws, including Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures (SPCC).

(8) Spill reduction measures. The permittee shall describe and implement measures to reduce the potential for an oil or chemical spill, or reference the appropriate section of their SPCC plan. The structural integrity of all aboveground tanks, pipelines, pumps and other related equipment shall be visually inspected as part of the routine facility inspection. All repairs deemed necessary based on the findings of the inspections shall be completed immediately to reduce the incidence of spills and leaks occurring from such faulty equipment.

(9) Oil bearing equipment in switchyards. The permittee shall describe and implement measures to prevent or minimize contamination of surface runoff from oil bearing equipment in switchyard areas. The permittee shall consider the use of level grades and gravel surfaces to retard flows and limit the spread of spills, and the collection of stormwater runoff in perimeter ditches.

(10) Residue hauling vehicles. All residue hauling vehicles shall be inspected for proper covering over the load, adequate gate sealing and overall integrity of the container body. Vehicles without load coverings or adequate gate sealing, or with leaking containers or beds shall be repaired as soon as practicable.

(11) Ash loading areas. The permittee shall describe and implement procedures to reduce or control the tracking of ash and residue from ash loading areas. Where practicable, clear the ash building floor and immediately adjacent roadways of spillage, debris and excess water before departure of each loaded vehicle.

(12) Areas adjacent to disposal ponds or landfills. The permittee shall describe and implement measures that prevent or minimize contamination of stormwater runoff from areas adjacent to disposal ponds or landfills. The permittee shall develop procedures to:

(a) Reduce ash residue which may be tracked on to access roads traveled by residue trucks or residue handling vehicles; and

(b) Reduce ash residue on exit roads leading into and out of residue handling areas.

(13) Landfills, scrapyards, surface impoundments, open dumps, general refuse sites. The plan shall address and include appropriate control measures to minimize the potential for contamination of runoff from landfills, scrapyards, surface impoundments, open dumps and general refuse sites.

b. Comprehensive site compliance evaluation. As part of the evaluation, qualified facility personnel shall inspect the following areas on a monthly basis: coal handling areas, loading and unloading areas, switchyards, fueling areas, bulk storage areas, ash handling areas, areas adjacent to disposal ponds and landfills, maintenance areas, liquid storage tanks, and long term and short term material storage areas.

D. Numeric effluent limitations. Permittees with point sources of coal pile runoff associated with steam electric power generation shall monitor these stormwater discharges for the presence of TSS and for pH at least annually (one time per year) in accordance with Part I A 1 c (2).

E. Benchmark monitoring and reporting requirements. Steam electric power generating facilities are required to monitor their stormwater discharges for the pollutants of concern listed in Table 220.

Table 220 Sector O – Benchmark Monitoring Requirements
Pollutants of Concern	Benchmark Concentration
Steam Electric Generating Facilities (Industrial Activity Code "SE")
Total Recoverable Iron	1.0 mg/L

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.