Section 90. Sector a - Timber products facilities (including mulch, wood, and bark facilities and mulch dyeing facilities)

Part IV. Sector Specific Permit Requirements

The permittee must only comply with the additional requirements of Part IV (9VAC25-151-90 et seq.) that apply to the sector(s) of industrial activity located at the facility. These sector specific requirements are in addition to the "basic" requirements specified in Parts I, II and III of this permit. All numeric effluent limitations and benchmark monitoring concentration values reflect two significant digits, unless otherwise noted.

A. Discharges covered under this section.

1. The requirements listed under this section apply to stormwater discharges associated with industrial activity from facilities generally classified under Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Major Group 24 that are engaged in the following activities: cutting timber and pulpwood (those that have log storage or handling areas), mills, including merchant, lath, shingle, cooperage stock, planing, plywood and veneer, and producing lumber and wood materials; wood preserving, manufacturing wood buildings or mobile homes; and manufacturing finished articles made entirely of wood or related materials, except for wood kitchen cabinet manufacturers (SIC Code 2434), which are addressed under Sector W (9VAC25-151-300).

2. The requirements listed under this section also apply to stormwater discharges associated with industrial activity from mulch, wood, and bark facilities, including mulch dyeing operations (SIC Code 24991303).

B. Special conditions.

1. Prohibition of nonstormwater discharges. Discharges of stormwater from areas where there may be contact with chemical formulations sprayed to provide surface protection are not authorized by this permit. These discharges must be covered under a separate VPDES permit. Discharge of wet dye drippings from mulch dyeing operations are also prohibited.

2. Authorized nonstormwater discharges. In addition to the discharges described in Part I B 1, the following nonstormwater discharges may be authorized by this permit provided the nonstormwater component of the discharge is in compliance with 9VAC25-151-90 C and the effluent limitations described in 9VAC25-151-90 D: discharges from the spray down of lumber and wood product storage yards where no chemical additives are used in the spray down waters and no chemicals are applied to the wood during storage.

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: processing areas; treatment chemical storage areas; treated wood and residue storage areas; wet decking areas; dry decking areas; untreated wood and residue storage areas; and treatment equipment storage areas.

b. Summary of potential pollutant sources. Where information is available, facilities that have used chlorophenolic, creosote, or chromium-copper-arsenic formulations for wood surface protection or wood preserving activities on-site in the past shall identify in the inventory the following: areas where contaminated soils, treatment equipment, and stored materials still remain, and the management practices employed to minimize the contact of these materials with stormwater runoff.

2. Stormwater controls. The description of stormwater management controls shall address the following areas of the site: log, lumber and wood product storage areas; residue storage areas; loading and unloading areas; material handling areas; chemical storage areas; and equipment and vehicle maintenance, storage and repair areas. Facilities that surface protect or preserve wood products shall address specific control measures, including any BMPs, for wood surface protection and preserving activities. Facilities that dye mulch shall address specific control measures to prevent the discharge of wet dye drippings and to prevent seepage of pollutants to groundwater.

The SWPPP shall address the following minimum components:

a. Good housekeeping. Good housekeeping measures in storage areas, loading and unloading areas, and material handling areas shall be designed to:

(1) Limit the discharge of wood debris;

(2) Minimize the leachate generated from decaying wood materials; and

(3) Minimize the generation of dust.

b. Routine facility inspections. Inspections at processing areas, transport areas, and treated wood storage areas of facilities performing wood surface protection and preservation activities shall be performed monthly to assess the usefulness of practices in minimizing the deposit of treatment chemicals on unprotected soils and in areas that will come in contact with stormwater discharges. The requirement for routine facility inspections is waived for facilities that have maintained an active VEEP E3/E4 status.

D. Numeric effluent limitations.

In addition to the numeric effluent limitations described in Part I A 1 c, the following limitations shall be met by existing and new facilities.

Wet deck storage area runoff. Nonstormwater discharges from areas used for the storage of logs where water, without chemical additives, is intentionally sprayed or deposited on logs to deter decay or infestation by insects are required to meet the following effluent limitations: pH shall be within the range of 6.0-9.0, and there will be no discharge of debris. Chemicals are not allowed to be applied to the stored logs. The term "debris" is defined as woody material such as bark, twigs, branches, heartwood or sapwood that will not pass through a 2.54 cm (1 in.) diameter round opening and is present in the discharge from a wet deck storage area. Permittees subject to these numeric limitations shall be in compliance with these limitations through the duration of permit coverage.

Table 90-1 Sector A - Numeric Effluent Limitations
Parameter	Effluent Limitations
Wet Decking Discharges at Log Storage and Handling Areas (SIC 2411)
pH	6.0 - 9.0 s.u.
Debris (woody material such as bark, twigs, branches, heartwood, or sapwood)	No discharge of debris that will not pass through a 2.54 cm (1") diameter round opening.

E. Benchmark monitoring and reporting requirements. Timber product facilities; mulch, wood, and bark facilities; and mulch dyeing facilities are required to monitor their stormwater discharges for the pollutants of concern listed in the appropriate section of Table 90-2.

Table 90-2 Sector A - Benchmark Monitoring Requirements
Pollutants of Concern		Benchmark Concentration
General Sawmills and Planing Mills (SIC 2421)
	Total Suspended Solids (TSS)	100 mg/L
Wood Preserving Facilities (SIC 2491)
	Total Recoverable Arsenic1	50 μg/L
	Total Recoverable Chromium1	16 μg/L
	Total Recoverable Copper1	18 μg/L
Log Storage and Handling Facilities (SIC 2411)
	Total Suspended Solids (TSS)	100 mg/L
Hardwood Dimension and Flooring Mills; Special Products Sawmills, not elsewhere classified; Millwork, Veneer, Plywood and Structural Wood; Wood Containers; Wood Buildings and Mobile Homes; Reconstituted Wood Products; and Wood Products Facilities not elsewhere classified (SIC Codes 2426, 2429, 2431-2439 (except 2434), 2441, 2448, 2449, 2451, 2452, 2493, and 2499).
	Total Suspended Solids (TSS)	100 mg/L
Mulch, Wood, and Bark Facilities (SIC Code 24991303)
	Total Suspended Solids (TSS)	100 mg/L
	Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD5)	30 mg/L
Facilities with Mulch Dyeing/Coloring Operations (SIC Code 24991303): Monitor ONLY those outfalls from the facility that collect runoff from areas where mulch dyeing/coloring activities occur, including but not limited to areas where loading, transporting, and storage of dyed/colored mulch occurs.2
	Total Suspended Solids (TSS)	100 mg/L
	Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD5)	30 mg/L
	Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD)	120 mg/L
	Total Recoverable Aluminum	750 μg/L
	Total Recoverable Arsenic	150 μg/L
	Total Recoverable Cadmium	2.1 μg/L
	Total Recoverable Chromium	16 μg/L
	Total Recoverable Copper	18 μg/L
	Total Recoverable Iron	1.0 mg/L
	Total Recoverable Lead	120 μg/L
	Total Recoverable Manganese	64 μg/L
	Total Recoverable Mercury	1.4 μg/L
	Total Recoverable Nickel	470 μg/L
	Total Recoverable Selenium	5.0 μg/L
	Total Recoverable Silver	3.8 μg/L
	Total Recoverable Zinc	120 μg/L
	Total Nitrogen	2.2 mg/L
	Total Phosphorus	2.0 mg/L
1Monitoring for metals (arsenic, chromium and copper) is not required for wood preserving facilities using only oil-based preservatives.
2Benchmark monitoring waivers are available to facilities utilizing mulch dye or colorant products that do not contain the specified parameters provided that: (i) monitoring from samples collected during one monitoring period demonstrates that the specific parameter in question is below the quantitation level; (ii) a waiver request is submitted to and approved by the board (The laboratory certificate of analysis must be submitted with the request. If approved, documentation of this shall be kept with the SWPPP.); and (iii) a certification statement is submitted to the department annually that the facility does not use mulch dyeing products that contain any of the specifically waived parameters.

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.