Section 70. General permit

Part I. Effluent Limitations, Monitoring Requirements and Special Conditions

9VAC25-151-70. General permit.

Any owner whose registration statement is accepted by the director will receive the following general permit and shall comply with the requirements therein and be subject to the VPDES Permit Regulation, 9VAC25-31. Facilities with colocated industrial activities shall comply with all applicable monitoring and pollution prevention plan requirements of each industrial activity sector of this chapter in which a colocated industrial activity is described. All pages of 9VAC25-151-70 and 9VAC25-151-80 apply to all stormwater discharges associated with industrial activity covered under this general permit. Not all pages of 9VAC25-151-90 et seq. will apply to every permittee. The determination of which pages apply will be based on an evaluation of the regulated activities located at the facility.

General Permit No.: VAR05
Effective Date: July 1, 2014
Expiration Date: June 30, 2019
GENERAL PERMIT FOR STORMWATER DISCHARGES ASSOCIATED WITH INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITY
AUTHORIZATION TO DISCHARGE UNDER THE VIRGINIA POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM AND THE VIRGINIA STATE WATER CONTROL LAW

In compliance with the provisions of the Clean Water Act, as amended, and pursuant to the State Water Control Law and regulations adopted pursuant thereto, owners of facilities with stormwater discharges associated with industrial activity are authorized to discharge to surface waters within the boundaries of the Commonwealth of Virginia, except those waters specifically named in board regulation that prohibit such discharges.

The authorized discharge shall be in accordance with this cover page, Part I-Effluent Limitations, Monitoring Requirements and Special Conditions, Part II-Conditions Applicable to All VPDES Permits, Part III-Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan, and Part IV-Sector-Specific Permit Requirements, as set forth herein.

A. Effluent limitations and monitoring requirements.

There are four individual and separate categories of monitoring requirements that a facility may be subject to under this permit: (i) quarterly visual monitoring; (ii) benchmark monitoring of discharges associated with specific industrial activities; (iii) compliance monitoring for discharges subject to numerical effluent limitations; and (iv) monitoring of discharges to impaired waters, both those with an approved TMDL and those without an approved TMDL. The monitoring requirements and numeric effluent limitations applicable to a facility depend on the types of industrial activities generating stormwater runoff from the facility, and for TMDL monitoring, the location of the facility's discharge or discharges. Part IV of the permit (9VAC25-151-90 et seq.) identifies monitoring requirements applicable to specific sectors of industrial activity. The permittee shall review Part I A 1 and Part IV of the permit to determine which monitoring requirements and numeric limitations apply to his facility. Unless otherwise specified, limitations and monitoring requirements under Part I A 1 and Part IV are additive.

Sector-specific monitoring requirements and limitations are applied discharge by discharge at facilities with colocated activities. Where stormwater from the colocated activities are commingled, the monitoring requirements and limitations are additive. Where more than one numeric limitation for a specific parameter applies to a discharge, compliance with the more restrictive limitation is required. Where monitoring requirements for a monitoring period overlap (e.g., need to monitor TSS twice per year for a limit and also twice per year for benchmark monitoring), the permittee may use a single sample to satisfy both monitoring requirements.

1. Types of monitoring requirements and limitations.

a. Quarterly visual monitoring. The requirements and procedures for quarterly visual monitoring are applicable to all facilities covered under this permit, regardless of the facility's sector of industrial activity.

(1) The permittee shall perform and document a quarterly visual examination of a stormwater discharge associated with industrial activity from each outfall, except discharges exempted in Part I A 3 or Part I A 4. The examination(s) shall be made at least once in each of the following three-month periods: January through March, April through June, July through September, and October through December. The visual examination shall be made during normal working hours, where practicable, and when considerations for safety and feasibility allow. If no storm event resulted in runoff from the facility during a monitoring quarter, the permittee is excused from visual monitoring for that quarter provided that documentation is included with the monitoring records indicating that no runoff occurred. The documentation shall be signed and certified in accordance with Part II K of this permit.

(2) Samples shall be collected in accordance with Part I A 2. The examination shall document observations of color, odor, clarity, floating solids, settled solids, suspended solids, foam, oil sheen, and other obvious indicators of stormwater pollution. The examination shall be conducted in a well-lit area. No analytical tests are required to be performed on the samples.

(3) The visual examination reports shall be maintained on-site with the Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP). The report shall include the outfall location, the examination date and time, examination personnel, the nature of the discharge (i.e., runoff or snow melt), visual quality of the stormwater discharge (including observations of color, odor, clarity, floating solids, settled solids, suspended solids, foam, oil sheen, and other obvious indicators of stormwater pollution), and probable sources of any observed stormwater contamination.

b. Benchmark monitoring of discharges associated with specific industrial activities.

Table 70-1 identifies the specific industrial sectors subject to the benchmark monitoring requirements of this permit and the industry-specific pollutants of concern. The permittee shall refer to the tables found in the individual sectors in Part IV (9VAC25-151-90 et seq.) for benchmark monitoring concentration values. Colocated industrial activities at the facility that are described in more than one sector in Part IV shall comply with all applicable benchmark monitoring requirements from each sector.

The results of benchmark monitoring are primarily for the permittee to use to determine the overall effectiveness of the SWPPP in controlling the discharge of pollutants to receiving waters. Benchmark concentration values, included in Part IV of this permit, are not effluent limitations. Exceedance of a benchmark concentration does not constitute a violation of this permit and does not indicate that violation of a water quality standard has occurred; however, it does signal that modifications to the SWPPP are necessary, unless justification is provided in the comprehensive site compliance evaluation (Part III E). In addition, exceedance of benchmark concentrations may identify facilities that would be more appropriately covered under an individual, or alternative general permit where more specific pollution prevention controls could be required.

TABLE 70-1 INDUSTRIAL SECTORS SUBJECT TO BENCHMARK MONITORING
Industry Sector1	Industry Sub-sector	Benchmark Monitoring Parameters
A	General Sawmills and Planing Mills	TSS.
	Wood Preserving Facilities	Arsenic, Chromium, Copper.
	Log Storage and Handling	TSS.
	Hardwood Dimension and Flooring Mills	TSS.
	Mulch, Wood and Bark Facilities	BOD, TSS.
	Mulching Dying Operations	BOD, TSS, COD, Aluminum, Arsenic, Cadmium, Chromium, Copper, Iron, Lead, Manganese, Mercury, Nickel, Selenium, Silver, Zinc, Total N, Total P.
B	Paperboard Mills	BOD.
C	Industrial Inorganic Chemicals	Aluminum, Iron, Total N.
	Plastics, Synthetic Resins, etc.	Zinc.
	Soaps, Detergents, Cosmetics, Perfumes	Total N, Zinc.
	Agricultural Chemicals	Total N, Iron, Zinc, Total P.
	Composting Facilities	TSS, BOD, COD, Ammonia, Total N, Total P.
D	Asphalt Paving and Roofing Materials	TSS.
E	Clay Products	Aluminum.
	Lime and Gypsum Products	TSS, pH, Iron.
F	Steel Works, Blast Furnaces, and Rolling and Finishing Mills	Aluminum, Zinc.
	Iron and Steel Foundries	Aluminum, TSS, Copper, Iron, Zinc.
	Nonferrous Rolling and Drawing	Copper, Zinc.
	Nonferrous Foundries (Castings)	Copper, Zinc.
G2	Copper Ore Mining and Dressing	TSS.
H	Coal Mines and Coal-Mining Related Facilities	TSS, Aluminum, Iron.
K	Hazardous Waste Treatment, Storage or Disposal	TKN, TSS, TOC, Arsenic, Cadmium, Cyanide, Lead, Magnesium, Mercury, Selenium, Silver.
L	Landfills, Land Application Sites, and Open Dumps	TSS.
M	Automobile Salvage Yards	TSS, Aluminum, Iron, Lead.
N	Scrap Recycling and Waste Recycling Facilities	Copper, Aluminum, Iron, Lead, Zinc, TSS, Cadmium, Chromium.
	Ship Dismantling, Marine Salvaging and Marine Wrecking	Aluminum, Cadmium, Chromium, Copper, Iron, Lead, Zinc, TSS.
O	Steam Electric Generating Facilities	Iron.
P	Land Transportation and Warehousing	TPH, TSS.
Q	Water Transportation Facilities	TSS, Copper, Zinc.
R	Ship and Boat Building or Repairing Yards	TSS, Copper, Zinc.
S	Airports	TSS, TPH.
U	Dairy Products	BOD, TSS.
	Grain Mill Products	TSS, TKN.
	Fats and Oils	BOD, Total N, TSS.
Y	Rubber Products	Zinc.
Z	Leather Tanning and Finishing	TKN.
AA	Fabricated Metal Products Except Coating	Iron, Aluminum, Copper, Zinc.
	Fabricated Metal Coating and Engraving	Zinc.
AB	Transportation Equipment, Industrial, or Commercial Machinery	TSS, TPH, Copper, Zinc.
AD	Nonclassified Facilities/Stormwater Discharges Designated by the Board as Requiring Permits	TSS.
1Table does not include parameters for compliance monitoring under effluent limitations guidelines.
2See Sector G (Part IV G) for additional monitoring discharges from waste rock and overburden piles from active ore mining or dressing facilities, inactive ore mining or dressing facilities, and sites undergoing reclamation.

(1) Benchmark monitoring shall be performed for all benchmark parameters specified for the industrial sector or sectors applicable to a facility's discharge. Monitoring shall be performed at least once during each of the first four, and potentially all, monitoring periods after coverage under the permit begins. Monitoring commences with the first full monitoring period after the owner is granted coverage under the permit. Monitoring periods are specified in Part I A 2.

Depending on the results of four consecutive monitoring periods, benchmark monitoring may not be required to be conducted in subsequent monitoring periods (see subdivision (2) below).

(2) Benchmark monitoring waivers for facilities testing below benchmark concentration values. Waivers from benchmark monitoring are available to facilities whose discharges are below benchmark concentration values on an outfall by outfall basis. Sector-specific benchmark monitoring is not required to be conducted in subsequent monitoring periods during the term of this permit provided:

(a) Samples were collected in four consecutive monitoring periods, and the average of the four samples for all parameters at the outfall is below the applicable benchmark concentration value in Part IV. (Note: facilities that were covered under the 2009 industrial stormwater general permit may use sampling data from the last two monitoring periods of that permit and the first two monitoring periods of this permit to satisfy the four consecutive monitoring periods requirement); and

(b) The facility is not subject to a numeric effluent limitation established in Part I A 1 c (1) (Stormwater Effluent Limitations), Part I A 1 c (2) (Coal Pile Runoff), or Part IV (Sector Specific Permit Requirements) for any of the parameters at that outfall; and

(c) A waiver request is submitted to and approved by the board. The waiver request shall be sent to the appropriate DEQ regional office, along with the supporting monitoring data for four consecutive monitoring periods, and a certification that, based on current potential pollutant sources and control measures used, discharges from the facility are reasonably expected to be essentially the same (or cleaner) compared to when the benchmark monitoring for the four consecutive monitoring periods was done.

Waiver requests will be evaluated by the board based upon: (i) benchmark monitoring results below the benchmark concentration values; (ii) a favorable compliance history (including inspection results); and (iii) no outstanding enforcement actions.

The monitoring waiver may be revoked by the board for just cause. The permittee will be notified in writing that the monitoring waiver is revoked, and that the benchmark monitoring requirements are again in force and will remain in effect until the permit's expiration date.

(3) Samples shall be collected and analyzed in accordance with Part I A 2. Monitoring results shall be reported in accordance with Part I A 5 and Part II C and retained in accordance with Part II B.

c. Compliance monitoring for discharges subject to numerical effluent limitations or discharges to impaired waters.

(1) Facilities subject to stormwater effluent limitation guidelines.

(a) Facilities subject to stormwater effluent limitation guidelines (see Table 70-2) are required to monitor such discharges to evaluate compliance with numerical effluent limitations. Industry-specific numerical limitations and compliance monitoring requirements are described in Part IV of the permit (9VAC25-151-90 et seq.). Permittees with colocated industrial activities at the facility that are described in more than one sector in Part IV shall comply on a discharge-by-discharge basis with all applicable effluent limitations from each sector.

(b) Permittees shall monitor the discharges for the presence of the pollutant subject to the effluent limitation at least once during each of the monitoring periods after coverage under the permit begins. Monitoring commences with the first full monitoring period after the owner is granted coverage under the permit. Monitoring periods are specified in Part I A 2. The substantially identical outfall monitoring provisions (Part I A 2 f) are not available for numeric effluent limits monitoring.

(c) Samples shall be collected and analyzed in accordance with Part I A 2. Monitoring results shall be reported in accordance with Part I A 5 and Part II C, and retained in accordance with Part II B.

TABLE 70-2 STORMWATER-SPECIFIC EFFLUENT LIMITATION GUIDELINES
Effluent Limitation Guideline	Sectors with Affected Facilities
Runoff from material storage piles at cement manufacturing facilities (40 CFR Part 411 Subpart C (established February 20, 1974))	E
Contaminated runoff from phosphate fertilizer manufacturing facilities (40 CFR Part 418 Subpart A (established April 8, 1974))	C
Coal pile runoff at steam electric generating facilities (40 CFR Part 423 (established November 19, 1982))	O
Discharges resulting from spray down or intentional wetting of logs at wet deck storage areas (40 CFR Part 429, Subpart I (established January 26, 1981))	A
Runoff from asphalt emulsion facilities (40 CFR Part 443 Subpart A (established July 24, 1975))	D
Runoff from landfills (40 CFR Part 445, Subpart A and B (established January 19, 2000))	K and L
Discharges from airport deicing operations (40 CFR Part 449 (established May 16, 2012))	S

(2) Facilities subject to coal pile runoff monitoring.

(a) Facilities with discharges of stormwater from coal storage piles shall comply with the limitations and monitoring requirements of Table 70-3 for all discharges containing the coal pile runoff, regardless of the facility's sector of industrial activity.

(b) Permittees shall monitor such stormwater discharges at least once during each of the monitoring periods after coverage under the permit begins. Monitoring commences with the first full monitoring period after the owner is granted coverage under the permit. Monitoring periods are specified in Part I A 2. The substantially identical outfall monitoring provisions (Part I A 2 f) are not available for coal pile numeric effluent limits monitoring.

(c) The coal pile runoff shall not be diluted with other stormwater or other flows in order to meet this limitation.

(d) If a facility is designed, constructed and operated to treat the volume of coal pile runoff that is associated with a 10-year, 24-hour rainfall event, any untreated overflow of coal pile runoff from the treatment unit is not subject to the 50 mg/L limitation for total suspended solids.

(e) Samples shall be collected and analyzed in accordance with Part I A 2. Monitoring results shall be reported in accordance with Part I A 5 and Part II C, and retained in accordance with Part II B.

TABLE 70-3 NUMERIC LIMITATIONS FOR COAL PILE RUNOFF
Parameter	Limit	Monitoring Frequency	Sample Type
Total Suspended Solids (TSS)	50 mg/l, max.	1/6 months	Grab
pH	6.0 min. - 9.0 max.	1/6 months	Grab

(3) Facilities discharging to an impaired water with an approved TMDL wasteload allocation.

Owners of facilities that are a source of the specified pollutant of concern to waters for which a TMDL wasteload allocation has been approved prior to the term of this permit will be notified as such by the department when they are approved for coverage under the general permit.

(a) Upon written notification from the department, facilities subject to TMDL wasteload allocations will be required to monitor such discharges to evaluate compliance with the TMDL requirements.

(b) Permittees shall monitor the discharges for the pollutant subject to the TMDL wasteload allocation at least once during each of the monitoring periods after coverage under the permit begins. Monitoring commences with the first full monitoring period after the owner is granted coverage under the permit. Monitoring periods are specified in Part I A 2.

(c) Samples shall be collected and analyzed in accordance with Part I A 2. Monitoring results shall be reported in accordance with Part I A 5 and Part II C, and retained in accordance with Part II B.

(d) If the pollutant subject to the TMDL wasteload allocation is below the quantitation level in all of the samples from the first four monitoring periods (i.e., the first two years of coverage under the permit), the permittee may request to the board in writing that further sampling be discontinued, unless the TMDL has specific instructions to the contrary (in which case those instructions shall be followed). The laboratory certificate of analysis shall be submitted with the request. If approved, documentation of this shall be kept with the SWPPP.

If the pollutant subject to the TMDL wasteload allocation is above the quantitation level in any of the samples from the first four monitoring periods, the permittee shall continue the scheduled TMDL monitoring throughout the term of the permit.

(4) Facilities discharging to an impaired water without an approved TMDL wasteload allocation.

Owners of facilities that discharge to waters listed as impaired in the 2012 Final 305(b)/303(d) Water Quality Assessment Integrated Report, and for which a TMDL wasteload allocation has not been approved prior to the term of this permit, will be notified as such by the department when they are approved for coverage under the general permit.

(a) Upon written notification from the department, facilities discharging to an impaired water without an approved TMDL wasteload allocation will be required to monitor such discharges for the pollutant(s) that caused the impairment.

(b) Permittees shall monitor the discharges for all pollutants for which the waterbody is impaired, and for which a standard analytical method exists, at least once during each of the monitoring periods after coverage under the permit begins. Monitoring commences with the first full monitoring period after the owner is granted coverage under the permit. Monitoring periods are specified in Part I A 2.

(c) If the pollutant for which the waterbody is impaired is suspended solids, turbidity, or sediment, or sedimentation, monitor for total suspended solids (TSS). If the pollutant for which the waterbody is impaired is expressed in the form of an indicator or surrogate pollutant, monitor for that indicator or surrogate pollutant. No monitoring is required when a waterbody's biological communities are impaired but no pollutant, including indicator or surrogate pollutants, is specified as causing the impairment, or when a waterbody's impairment is related to hydrologic modifications, impaired hydrology, or temperature.

Samples shall be collected and analyzed in accordance with Part I A 2. Monitoring results shall be reported in accordance with Part I A 5 and Part II C, and retained in accordance with Part II B.

(d) If the pollutant for which the water is impaired is below the quantitation level in the discharges from the facility, or it is above the quantitation level but its presence is caused solely by natural background sources, the permittee may request to the board in writing that further impaired water monitoring be discontinued. The laboratory certificate of analysis shall be submitted with the request. If approved, documentation of this shall be kept with the SWPPP.

To support a determination that the pollutant's presence is caused solely by natural background sources, the following documentation shall be submitted with the request and kept with the SWPPP: (i) an explanation of why it is believed that the presence of the impairment pollutant in the facility's discharge is not related to the activities at the facility; and (ii) data or studies that tie the presence of the impairment pollutant in the facility's discharge to natural background sources in the watershed. Natural background pollutants include those substances that are naturally occurring in soils or groundwater. Natural background pollutants do not include legacy pollutants from earlier activity at the facility's site, or pollutants in run-on from neighboring sources that are not naturally occurring.

2. Monitoring instructions.

a. Collection and analysis of samples. Sampling requirements shall be assessed on an outfall by outfall basis. Samples shall be collected and analyzed in accordance with the requirements of Part II A.

b. When and how to sample. A minimum of one grab sample shall be taken from the discharge associated with industrial activity resulting from a storm event that results in an actual discharge from the site (defined as a "measurable storm event"), providing the interval from the preceding measurable storm event is at least 72 hours. The 72-hour storm interval is waived if the permittee is able to document that less than a 72-hour interval is representative for local storm events during the sampling period. In the case of snowmelt, the monitoring shall be performed at a time when a measurable discharge occurs at the site. For discharges from a stormwater management structure, the monitoring shall be performed at a time when a measurable discharge occurs from the structure.

The grab sample shall be taken during the first 30 minutes of the discharge. If it is not practicable to take the sample during the first 30 minutes, the sample may be taken during the first three hours of the discharge, provided that the permittee explains why a grab sample during the first 30 minutes was impracticable. This information shall be submitted on or with the Discharge Monitoring Report (DMR), and maintained with the SWPPP. If the sampled discharge commingles with process or nonprocess water, the permittee shall attempt to sample the stormwater discharge before it mixes with the nonstormwater.

c. Storm event data. For each monitoring event (except snowmelt monitoring), along with the monitoring results, the permittee shall identify the date and duration (in hours) of the storm event(s) sampled; rainfall total (in inches) of the storm event that generated the sampled runoff; and the duration between the storm event sampled and the end of the previous measurable storm event. For snowmelt monitoring, the permittee shall identify the date of the sampling event.

d. Monitoring periods.

(1) Quarterly visual monitoring. The quarterly visual examinations shall be made at least once in each of the following three-month periods each year of permit coverage: January through March, April through June, July through September, and October through December.

(2) Benchmark monitoring, effluent limitation monitoring, and impaired waters monitoring (for waters both with and without an approved TMDL). Monitoring shall be conducted at least once in each of the following semiannual periods each year of permit coverage: January through June, and July through December.

e. Documentation explaining a facility's inability to obtain a sample (including dates and times the outfalls were viewed or sampling was attempted), of no rain event, or of no "measurable" storm event shall be maintained with the SWPPP. Acceptable documentation includes, but is not limited to, National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) weather station data, local weather station data, facility rainfall logs, and other appropriate supporting data.

f. Representative outfalls - substantially identical discharges. If the facility has two or more outfalls that discharge substantially identical effluents, based on similarities of the industrial activities, significant materials, size of drainage areas, and stormwater management practices occurring within the drainage areas of the outfalls, the permittee may conduct monitoring on the effluent of just one of the outfalls and report that the observations also apply to the substantially identical outfall or outfalls. The substantially identical outfall monitoring provisions apply to quarterly visual monitoring, benchmark monitoring, and impaired waters monitoring (both those with and without an approved TMDL). The substantially identical outfall monitoring provisions are not available for numeric effluent limits monitoring.

The permittee shall include the following information in the SWPPP:

(1) The locations of the outfalls;

(2) Why the outfalls are expected to discharge substantially identical effluents, including evaluation of monitoring data where available; and

(3) Estimates of the size of the drainage area (in square feet) for each of the outfalls.

3. Adverse climatic conditions waiver. When adverse weather conditions prevent the collection of samples, a substitute sample may be taken during a qualifying storm event in the next monitoring period. Adverse weather conditions are those that are dangerous or create inaccessibility for personnel, and may include such things as local flooding, high winds, electrical storms, or situations that otherwise make sampling impracticable, such as drought or extended frozen conditions. Unless specifically stated otherwise, this waiver may be applied to any monitoring required under this permit.

4. Inactive and unstaffed sites (including temporarily inactive sites).

a. A waiver of the quarterly visual assessments, routine facility inspections, and monitoring requirements (including benchmark, effluent limitation, and impaired waters monitoring) may be granted by the board at a facility that is both inactive and unstaffed, as long as the facility remains inactive and unstaffed and there are no industrial materials or activities exposed to stormwater. The owner of such a facility is only required to conduct an annual comprehensive site inspection in accordance with the requirements in Part III E.

b. An inactive and unstaffed sites waiver request shall be submitted to the board for approval and shall include: the name of the facility; the facility's VPDES general permit registration number; a contact person, phone number and email address (if available); the reason for the request; and the date the facility became or will become inactive and unstaffed. The waiver request shall be signed and certified in accordance with Part II K. If this waiver is granted, a copy of the request and the board's written approval of the waiver shall be maintained with the SWPPP.

c. If circumstances change and industrial materials or activities become exposed to stormwater, or the facility becomes either active or staffed, the permittee shall notify the department within 30 days, and all quarterly visual assessments, routine facility inspections, and monitoring requirements shall be resumed immediately.

d. The board retains the right to revoke this waiver when it is determined that the discharge is causing, has a reasonable potential to cause, or contributes to a water quality standards violation.

e. Inactive and unstaffed facilities covered under Sector G (Metal Mining) and Sector H (Coal Mines and Coal Mining-Related Facilities) are not required to meet the "no industrial materials or activities exposed to stormwater" standard to be eligible for this waiver, consistent with the conditional exemption requirements established in Part IV Sector G and Part IV Sector H.

5. Reporting monitoring results.

a. Reporting to the department. The permittee shall follow the reporting requirements and deadlines below for the types of monitoring that apply to the facility:

TABLE 70-4 MONITORING REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
Semiannual Monitoring	Submit the results on a DMR by January 10 and by July 10.
Quarterly Visual Monitoring	Retain results with SWPPP - do not submit unless requested to do so by the department.

Permittees shall submit results for each outfall associated with industrial activity according to the requirements of Part II C. For each outfall sampled, one signed discharge monitoring report (DMR) form shall be submitted to the department per storm event sampled. For representative outfalls, the sampled outfall will be reported on the DMR, and the outfalls that are representative of the sampled outfall will be listed in the comment section of the DMR. Signed DMRs are not required for each of the outfalls that are representative of the sampled outfall.

b. Additional reporting. In addition to submitting copies of discharge monitoring reports in accordance with Part II C, permittees with at least one stormwater discharge associated with industrial activity through a regulated municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) shall submit signed copies of DMRs to the MS4 operator at the same time as the reports are submitted to the department. Permittees not required to report monitoring data and permittees that are not otherwise required to monitor their discharges need not comply with this provision.

c. Significant digits. The permittee shall report at least the same number of significant digits as a numeric effluent limitation or TMDL wasteload allocation for a given parameter; otherwise, at least two significant digits shall be reported for a given parameter. Regardless of the rounding convention used by the permittee (i.e., five always rounding up or to the nearest even number), the permittee shall use the convention consistently and shall ensure that consulting laboratories employed by the permittee use the same convention.

6. Corrective actions.

a. Data exceeding benchmarks concentration values.

(1) If the benchmark monitoring result exceeds the benchmark concentration value for that parameter, the permittee shall review the SWPPP and modify it as necessary to address any deficiencies that caused the exceedance. Revisions to the SWPPP shall be completed within 30 days after an exceedance is discovered. When control measures need to be modified or added (distinct from regular preventive maintenance of existing control measures described in Part III C), implementation shall be completed before the next anticipated storm event if possible, but no later than 60 days after the exceedance is discovered, or as otherwise provided or approved by the department. In cases where construction is necessary to implement control measures, the permittee shall include a schedule in the SWPPP that provides for the completion of the control measures as expeditiously as practicable, but no later than three years after the exceedance is discovered. Where a construction compliance schedule is included in the SWPPP, the plan shall include appropriate nonstructural and temporary controls to be implemented in the affected portion(s) of the facility prior to completion of the permanent control measure. Any control measure modifications shall be documented and dated, and retained with the SWPPP, along with the amount of time taken to modify the applicable control measures or implement additional control measures.

(2) Natural background pollutant levels. If the concentration of a pollutant exceeds a benchmark concentration value, and the permittee determines that exceedance of the benchmark is attributable solely to the presence of that pollutant in the natural background, corrective action is not required provided that:

(a) The concentration of the benchmark monitoring result is less than or equal to the concentration of that pollutant in the natural background;

(b) The permittee documents and maintains with the SWPPP the supporting rationale for concluding that benchmark exceedances are in fact attributable solely to natural background pollutant levels. The supporting rationale shall include any data previously collected by the facility or others (including literature studies) that describe the levels of natural background pollutants in the facility's stormwater discharges; and

(c) The permittee notifies the department on the benchmark monitoring DMR that the benchmark exceedances are attributable solely to natural background pollutant levels.

Natural background pollutants include those substances that are naturally occurring in soils or groundwater. Natural background pollutants do not include legacy pollutants from earlier activity on the facility's site, or pollutants in run-on from neighboring sources that are not naturally occurring.

b. Corrective actions. The permittee shall take corrective action whenever:

(1) Routine facility inspections, comprehensive site compliance evaluations, inspections by local, state or federal officials, or any other process, observation or event result in a determination that modifications to the stormwater control measures are necessary to meet the permit requirements;

(2) There is any exceedance of an effluent limitation (including coal pile runoff), TMDL wasteload allocation, or a reduction required by a local ordinance established by a municipality to meet Chesapeake Bay TMDL requirements; or

(3) The department determines, or the permittee becomes aware, that the stormwater control measures are not stringent enough for the discharge to meet applicable water quality standards.

The permittee shall review the SWPPP and modify it as necessary to address any deficiencies. Revisions to the SWPPP shall be completed within 30 days following the discovery of the deficiency. When control measures need to be modified or added (distinct from regular preventive maintenance of existing control measures described in Part III C), implementation shall be completed before the next anticipated storm event if possible, but no later than 60 days after the deficiency is discovered, or as otherwise provided or approved by the department. In cases where construction is necessary to implement control measures, the permittee shall include a schedule in the SWPPP that provides for the completion of the control measures as expeditiously as practicable, but no later than three years after the deficiency is discovered. Where a construction compliance schedule is included in the SWPPP, the plan shall include appropriate nonstructural and temporary controls to be implemented in the affected portion(s) of the facility prior to completion of the permanent control measure. The amount of time taken to modify a control measure or implement additional control measures shall be documented in the SWPPP.

Any corrective actions taken shall be documented and retained with the SWPPP. Reports of corrective actions shall be signed in accordance with Part II K.

c. Follow-up reporting. If at any time monitoring results indicate that discharges from the facility exceed an effluent limitation or a TMDL wasteload allocation, or the department determines that discharges from the facility are causing or contributing to an exceedance of a water quality standard, immediate steps shall be taken to eliminate the exceedances in accordance with the above Part I A 6 b (Corrective actions). Within 30 calendar days of implementing the relevant corrective action(s), an exceedance report shall be submitted to the department. The following information shall be included in the report: general permit registration number; facility name, address, and location; receiving water; monitoring data from this event; an explanation of the situation; description of what has been done and the intended actions (should the corrective actions not yet be complete) to further reduce pollutants in the discharge; and an appropriate contact name and phone number.

B. Special conditions.

1. Allowable nonstormwater discharges. Except as provided in this section or in Part IV (9VAC25-151-90 et seq.), all discharges covered by this permit shall be composed entirely of stormwater. The following nonstormwater discharges are authorized by this permit:

a. Discharges from firefighting activities;

b. Fire hydrant flushings;

c. Potable water including water line flushings;

d. Uncontaminated condensate from air conditioners, coolers, and other compressors and from the outside storage of refrigerated gases or liquids;

e. Irrigation drainage;

f. Landscape watering provided all pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizer have been applied in accordance with the approved labeling;

g. Routine external building washdown that does not use detergents;

h. Pavement wash waters where no detergents are used and no spills or leaks of toxic or hazardous materials have occurred (unless all spilled material has been removed);

i. Uncontaminated ground water or spring water;

j. Foundation or footing drains where flows are not contaminated with process materials; and

k. Incidental windblown mist from cooling towers that collects on rooftops or adjacent portions of the facility, but not intentional discharges from the cooling tower (e.g., "piped" cooling tower blowdown or drains).

All other nonstormwater discharges are not authorized and shall either be eliminated or covered under a separate VPDES permit.

The following nonstormwater discharges are specifically not authorized by this permit:

Sector A - Timber products. Discharges of stormwater from areas where there may be contact with chemical formulations sprayed to provide surface protection.

Sector C - Chemical and allied products manufacturing. Inks, paints, or substances (hazardous, nonhazardous, etc.) resulting from an on-site spill, including materials collected in drip pans; washwaters from material handling and processing areas; or washwaters from drum, tank, or container rinsing and cleaning.

Sector G - Metal mining (ore mining and dressing). Adit drainage or contaminated springs or seeps; and contaminated seeps and springs discharging from waste rock dumps that do not directly result from precipitation events.

Sector H - Coal mines and coal mining-related facilities. Discharges from pollutant seeps or underground drainage from inactive coal mines and refuse disposal areas that do not result from precipitation events; and discharges from floor drains in maintenance buildings and other similar drains in mining and preparation plant areas.

Sector I - Oil and gas extraction and refining. Discharges of vehicle and equipment washwater, including tank cleaning operations.

Sector K - Hazardous waste treatment, storage, or disposal facilities. Leachate, gas collection condensate, drained free liquids, contaminated ground water, laboratory-derived wastewater and contact washwater from washing truck, equipment, and railcar exteriors and surface areas that have come in direct contact with solid waste at the landfill facility.

Sector L - Landfills, land application sites and open dumps. Leachate, gas collection condensate, drained free liquids, contaminated ground water, laboratory wastewater, and contact washwater from washing truck, equipment, and railcar exteriors and surface areas that have come in direct contact with solid waste at the landfill facility.

Sector N - Scrap recycling and waste recycling facilities. Discharges from turnings containment areas in the absence of a storm event.

Sector O - Steam electric generating facilities. Nonstormwater discharges subject to effluent limitation guidelines.

Sector P - Land transportation and warehousing. Vehicle, equipment, or surface washwater, including tank cleaning operations.

Sector Q - Water transportation. Bilge and ballast water, sanitary wastes, pressure wash water, and cooling water originating from vessels.

Sector R - Ship and boat building or repair yards. Bilge and ballast water, pressure wash water, sanitary wastes, and cooling water originating from vessels.

Sector S - Air transportation. Aircraft, ground vehicle, runway and equipment washwaters; and dry weather discharges of deicing and anti-icing chemicals.

Sector T - Treatment works. Sanitary and industrial wastewater; and equipment or vehicle washwaters.

Sector U - Food and kindred products. Boiler blowdown, cooling tower overflow and blowdown, ammonia refrigeration purging, and vehicle washing and clean-out operations.

Sector V - Textile mills, apparel, and other fabric products. Discharges of wastewater (e.g., wastewater as a result of wet processing or from any processes relating to the production process); reused or recycled water; and waters used in cooling towers.

2. Releases of hazardous substances or oil in excess of reportable quantities. The discharge of hazardous substances or oil in the stormwater discharge(s) from the facility shall be prevented or minimized in accordance with the stormwater pollution prevention plan for the facility. This permit does not authorize the discharge of hazardous substances or oil resulting from an on-site spill. This permit does not relieve the permittee of the reporting requirements of 40 CFR Part 110, 40 CFR Part 117, and 40 CFR Part 302 or § 62.1-44.34:19 of the Code of Virginia.

Where a release containing a hazardous substance or oil in an amount equal to or in excess of a reportable quantity established under either 40 CFR Part 110, 40 CFR Part 117, or 40 CFR Part 302 occurs during a 24-hour period:

a. The permittee is required to notify the department in accordance with the requirements of Part II G as soon as he has knowledge of the discharge;

b. Where a release enters a municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4), the permittee shall also notify the owner of the MS4; and

c. The stormwater pollution prevention plan required under Part III shall be reviewed to identify measures to prevent the reoccurrence of such releases and to respond to such releases, and the plan shall be modified where appropriate.

3. Colocated industrial activity. If the facility has industrial activities occurring on-site which are described by any of the activities in Part IV of the permit (9VAC25-151-90 et seq.), those industrial activities are considered to be colocated industrial activities. Stormwater discharges from colocated industrial activities are authorized by this permit, provided that the permittee complies with any and all additional pollution prevention plan and monitoring requirements from Part IV applicable to that particular colocated industrial activity. The permittee shall determine which additional pollution prevention plan and monitoring requirements are applicable to the colocated industrial activity by examining the narrative descriptions of each coverage section (Discharges covered under this section).

4. The stormwater discharges authorized by this permit may be combined with other sources of stormwater which are not required to be covered under a VPDES permit, so long as the combined discharge is in compliance with this permit.

5. There shall be no discharge of waste, garbage, or floating debris in other than trace amounts.

6. Approval for coverage under this general permit does not relieve the permittee of the responsibility to comply with any other applicable federal, state, or local statute, ordinance, or regulation.

7. Discharges to waters subject to TMDL wasteload allocations.

a. Owners of facilities that are a source of the specified pollutant of concern to waters for which a total maximum daily load (TMDL) wasteload allocation has been approved prior to the term of this permit shall incorporate measures and controls into the SWPPP required by Part III that are consistent with the assumptions and requirements of the TMDL. The department will provide written notification to the owner that a facility is subject to the TMDL requirements. The facility's SWPPP shall specifically address any conditions or requirements included in the TMDL that are applicable to discharges from the facility. If the TMDL establishes a specific numeric wasteload allocation that applies to discharges from the facility, the owner shall perform any required monitoring in accordance with Part I A 1 c (3), and implement control measures designed to meet that allocation.

b. Facilities in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

(1) Owners of facilities in the Chesapeake Bay watershed shall monitor their discharges for total suspended solids (TSS), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) to characterize the contributions from their facility's specific industrial sector for these parameters. After the facility is granted coverage under the permit, samples shall be collected during each of the first four monitoring periods (i.e., the first two years of permit coverage). Monitoring periods are specified in Part I A 2. Samples shall be collected and analyzed in accordance with Part I A 2. Monitoring results shall be reported in accordance with Part I A 5 and Part II C, and retained in accordance with Part II B.

(2) Facilities that were covered under the 2009 industrial stormwater general permit that sampled for TSS, TN, or TP may use applicable sampling data from the last two monitoring periods of that permit and the first two monitoring periods of this permit to satisfy the four consecutive monitoring periods requirement.

(3) Chesapeake Bay TMDL wasteload allocations and Chesapeake Bay TMDL action plans.

(a) EPA's Chesapeake Bay TMDL (December 29, 2010) includes wasteload allocations for VPDES permitted industrial stormwater facilities as part of the regulated stormwater aggregate load. EPA used data submitted by Virginia with the Phase I Chesapeake Bay TMDL Watershed Implementation Plan, including the number of industrial stormwater permits per county and the number of urban acres regulated by industrial stormwater permits, as part of their development of the aggregate load. Aggregate loads for industrial stormwater facilities were appropriate because actual facility loading data were not available to develop individual facility wasteload allocations.

Virginia estimated the loadings from industrial stormwater facilities using actual and estimated facility acreage information and TP, TN, and TSS loading values from the Northern Virginia Planning District Commission (NVPDC) Guidebook for Screening Urban Nonpoint Pollution Management Strategies (Annandale, VA November 1979), prepared for the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. The loading values used were as follows:

TP - High (80%) imperviousness industrial; 1.5 lb/ac/yr

TN - High (80%) imperviousness industrial; 12.3 lb/ac/yr

TSS - High (80%) imperviousness industrial; 440 lb/ac/yr

The actual facility area information and the TP, TN, and TSS data collected for this permit will be used by the board to quantify the nutrient and sediment loads from VPDES permitted industrial stormwater facilities and will be submitted to EPA to aid in further refinements to its Chesapeake Bay TMDL model. The loading information will also be used by the board to determine any additional load reductions needed for industrial stormwater facilities for the next reissuance of this permit.

(b) Data analysis and Chesapeake Bay TMDL action plans. The permittee shall analyze the nutrient and sediment data collected in accordance with subdivision 7 b (1) of this subsection to determine if additional action is needed for this permit term. The permittee shall average the data collected at the facility for each of the pollutants of concern (POC) (e.g., TP, TN, and TSS) and compare the results to the loading values for TP, TN, and TSS presented in subdivision 7 b (3) (a) of this subsection. To calculate the facility loadings, the permittee may use either (i) actual annual average rainfall data for the facility location (in inches/year), or the Virginia annual average rainfall of 44.3 inches/year; or (ii) another method approved by the board.

The following formula may be used to determine the loading value:

L = (0.2263 x R x C) / A

where:

L = the POC loading value (lb/acre/year)

R = the annual average rainfall (inches/year)

C = the POC average concentration of all facility samples (mg/L)

A = the facility industrial activity area (acres)

(c) If the calculated facility loading value for TP, TN, or TSS is above the loading values for TP, TN, or TSS presented in subdivision 7 b (3) (a) of this subsection, then the permittee shall develop and submit to the board for review and approval a Chesapeake Bay TMDL Action Plan. The plan shall be submitted within 90 days from the end of the second year's monitoring period (by September 28, 2016). The permittee shall implement the approved plan over the remaining term of this permit to achieve all the necessary reductions by June 30, 2024. The action plan shall include:

(i) A determination of the total pollutant load reductions for TP, TN, and TSS (as appropriate) necessary to reduce the annual loads from industrial activities. This shall be determined by calculating the difference between the loading values listed in subdivision 7 b (3) (a) of this subsection, and the average of the sampling data for TP, TN, or TSS (as appropriate) for the entire facility. The reduction applies to the total difference calculated for each pollutant of concern;

(ii) The means and methods, such as management practices and retrofit programs, that will be utilized to meet the required reductions determined in subdivision 7 b (3) (c) (i) of this subsection, and a schedule to achieve those reductions by June 30, 2024. The schedule should include annual benchmarks to demonstrate the ongoing progress in meeting those reductions; and

(iii) The permittee may consider utilization of any pollutant trading or offset program in accordance with §§ 62.1-44.19:20 through 62.1-44.19:23 of the Code of Virginia, governing trading and offsetting, to meet the required reductions.

(d) A permittee required to develop and implement a Chesapeake Bay TMDL Action Plan shall submit an annual report to the department by June 30 of each year describing the progress in meeting the required reductions.

8. Discharges through a regulated MS4 to waters subject to the Chesapeake Bay TMDL. In addition to the requirements of this permit, any facility with industrial activity discharges through a regulated MS4 that is notified by the MS4 operator that the locality has adopted ordinances to meet the Chesapeake Bay TMDL shall incorporate measures and controls into its SWPPP to comply with applicable local TMDL ordinance requirements.

9. Expansion of facilities that discharge to waters subject to the Chesapeake Bay TMDL. Virginia's Phase I Chesapeake Bay TMDL Watershed Implementation Plan (November 29, 2010), states that the wasteloads from any expansion of an existing permitted facility discharging stormwater in the Chesapeake Bay watershed cannot exceed the nutrient and sediment loadings that were discharged from the expanded portion of the land prior to the land being developed for the expanded industrial activity.

a. For any industrial activity area expansions (i.e., construction activities, including clearing, grading, and excavation activities) that commence on or after July 1, 2014, (the effective date of this permit), the permittee shall document in the SWPPP the information and calculations used to determine the nutrient and sediment loadings discharged from the expanded land area prior to the land being developed, and the measures and controls that were employed to meet the no net increase of stormwater nutrient and sediment load as a result of the expansion of the industrial activity. Any land disturbance that is exempt from permitting under the VPDES construction stormwater general permit regulation (9VAC25-880) is exempt from this requirement.

b. The permittee may use the VSMP water quality design criteria to meet the requirements of subdivision 9 a of this subsection. Under this criteria, the total phosphorus load shall not exceed the greater of: (i) the total phosphorus load that was discharged from the expanded portion of the land prior to the land being developed for the industrial activity or (ii) 0.41 pounds per acre per year. Compliance with the water quality design criteria may be determined utilizing the Virginia Runoff Reduction Method or another equivalent methodology approved by the board. Design specifications and pollutant removal efficiencies for specific BMPs can be found on the Virginia Stormwater BMP Clearinghouse website at http://www.vwrrc.vt.edu/swc.

c. The permittee may consider utilization of any pollutant trading or offset program in accordance with §§ 62.1-44.19:20 through 62.1-44.19:23 of the Code of Virginia, governing trading and offsetting, to meet the no net increase requirement.

10. Water quality protection. The discharges authorized by this permit shall be controlled as necessary to meet applicable water quality standards. The board expects that compliance with the conditions in this permit will control discharges as necessary to meet applicable water quality standards.

11. Adding or deleting stormwater outfalls. The permittee may add new or delete existing stormwater outfalls at the facility as necessary and appropriate. The permittee shall update the SWPPP and notify the department of all outfall changes within 30 days of the change. The permittee shall submit a copy of the updated SWPPP site map with this notification.

12. Antidegradation requirements for new or increased discharges to high quality waters. Facilities that add new outfalls, or increase their discharges from existing outfalls that discharge directly to high quality waters designated under Virginia's water quality standards antidegradation policy under 9VAC25-260-30 A 2 may be notified by the department that additional control measures, or other permit conditions are necessary to comply with the applicable antidegradation requirements, or may be notified that an individual permit is required in accordance with 9VAC25-31-170 B 3.

13. If the permittee discharges to surface waters through a municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4), the permittee shall, within 30 days of coverage under this general permit, notify the owner of the MS4 in writing of the existence of the discharge and provide the following information: the name of the facility, a contact person and phone number, the location of the discharge, the nature of the discharge, and the facility's VPDES general permit registration number. A copy of such notification shall be provided to the department.

14. Termination of permit coverage.

a. The owner may terminate coverage under this general permit by filing a complete notice of termination. The notice of termination may be filed after one or more of the following conditions have been met:

(1) Operations have ceased at the facility and there are no longer discharges of stormwater associated with industrial activity from the facility;

(2) A new owner has assumed responsibility for the facility (Note: A notice of termination does not have to be submitted if a VPDES Change of Ownership Agreement Form has been submitted);

(3) All stormwater discharges associated with industrial activity have been covered by an individual VPDES permit; or

(4) Termination of coverage is being requested for another reason, provided the board agrees that coverage under this general permit is no longer needed.

b. The notice of termination shall contain the following information:

(1) Owner's name, mailing address, telephone number, and email address (if available);

(2) Facility name and location;

(3) VPDES industrial stormwater general permit registration number;

(4) The basis for submitting the notice of termination, including:

(a) A statement indicating that a new owner has assumed responsibility for the facility;

(b) A statement indicating that operations have ceased at the facility, and there are no longer discharges of stormwater associated with industrial activity from the facility;

(c) A statement indicating that all stormwater discharges associated with industrial activity have been covered by an individual VPDES permit; or

(d) A statement indicating that termination of coverage is being requested for another reason (state the reason); and

(5) The following certification: "I certify under penalty of law that all stormwater discharges associated with industrial activity from the identified facility that are authorized by this VPDES general permit have been eliminated, or covered under a VPDES individual permit, or that I am no longer the owner of the industrial activity, or permit coverage should be terminated for another reason listed above. I understand that by submitting this notice of termination, that I am no longer authorized to discharge stormwater associated with industrial activity in accordance with the general permit, and that discharging pollutants in stormwater associated with industrial activity to surface waters is unlawful where the discharge is not authorized by a VPDES permit. I also understand that the submittal of this notice of termination does not release an owner from liability for any violations of this permit or the Clean Water Act."

c. The notice of termination shall be signed in accordance with Part II K.

d. The notice of termination shall be submitted to the DEQ regional office serving the area where the industrial facility is located.

Part II
Conditions Applicable to All VPDES Permits

A. Monitoring.

1. Samples and measurements taken as required by this permit shall be representative of the monitored activity.

2. Monitoring shall be conducted according to procedures approved under 40 CFR Part 136 or alternative methods approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, unless other procedures have been specified in this permit.

3. The permittee shall periodically calibrate and perform maintenance procedures on all monitoring and analytical instrumentation at intervals that will ensure accuracy of measurements.

4. Samples taken as required by this permit shall be analyzed in accordance with 1VAC30-45 (Certification for Noncommercial Environmental Laboratories) or 1VAC30-46 (Accreditation for Commercial Environmental Laboratories).

B. Records.

1. Records of monitoring information shall include:

a. The date, exact place, and time of sampling or measurements;

b. The individual(s) who performed the sampling or measurements;

c. The date(s) and time(s) analyses were performed;

d. The individual(s) who performed the analyses;

e. The analytical techniques or methods used; and

f. The results of such analyses.

2. The permittee shall retain copies of the SWPPP, including any modifications made during the term of this permit, records of all monitoring information, including all calibration and maintenance records and all original strip chart recordings for continuous monitoring instrumentation, copies of all reports required by this permit, and records of all data used to complete the registration statement for this permit, for a period of at least three years from the date that coverage under this permit expires or is terminated. This period of retention shall be extended automatically during the course of any unresolved litigation regarding the regulated activity or regarding control standards applicable to the permittee, or as requested by the board.

C. Reporting monitoring results.

1. The permittee shall submit the results of the monitoring required by this permit not later than the 10th day of the month after monitoring takes place, unless another reporting schedule is specified elsewhere in this permit. Monitoring results shall be submitted to the department's regional office.

2. Monitoring results shall be reported on a discharge monitoring report (DMR) or on forms provided, approved or specified by the department.

3. If the permittee monitors any pollutant specifically addressed by this permit more frequently than required by this permit using test procedures approved under 40 CFR Part 136 or using other test procedures approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or using procedures specified in this permit, the results of this monitoring shall be included in the calculation and reporting of the data submitted on the DMR or reporting form specified by the department.

4. Calculations for all limitations which require averaging of measurements shall utilize an arithmetic mean unless otherwise specified in this permit.

D. Duty to provide information. The permittee shall furnish to the department, within a reasonable time, any information which the board may request to determine whether cause exists for modifying, revoking and reissuing, or terminating coverage under this permit or to determine compliance with this permit. The board may require the permittee to furnish, upon request, such plans, specifications, and other pertinent information as may be necessary to determine the effect of the wastes from the discharge on the quality of state waters, or such other information as may be necessary to accomplish the purposes of the State Water Control Law. The permittee shall also furnish to the department upon request, copies of records required to be kept by this permit.

E. Compliance schedule reports. Reports of compliance or noncompliance with, or any progress reports on, interim and final requirements contained in any compliance schedule of this permit shall be submitted no later than 14 days following each schedule date.

F. Unauthorized discharges. Except in compliance with this permit, or another permit issued by the board, it shall be unlawful for any person to:

1. Discharge into state waters sewage, industrial wastes, other wastes, or any noxious or deleterious substances; or

2. Otherwise alter the physical, chemical or biological properties of such state waters and make them detrimental to the public health, or to animal or aquatic life, or to the use of such waters for domestic or industrial consumption, or for recreation, or for other uses.

G. Reports of unauthorized discharges. Any permittee who discharges or causes or allows a discharge of sewage, industrial waste, other wastes or any noxious or deleterious substance into or upon state waters in violation of Part II F; or who discharges or causes or allows a discharge that may reasonably be expected to enter state waters in violation of Part II F, shall notify the department of the discharge immediately upon discovery of the discharge, but in no case later than 24 hours after said discovery. A written report of the unauthorized discharge shall be submitted to the department within five days of discovery of the discharge. The written report shall contain:

1. A description of the nature and location of the discharge;

2. The cause of the discharge;

3. The date on which the discharge occurred;

4. The length of time that the discharge continued;

5. The volume of the discharge;

6. If the discharge is continuing, how long it is expected to continue;

7. If the discharge is continuing, what the expected total volume of the discharge will be; and

8. Any steps planned or taken to reduce, eliminate and prevent a recurrence of the present discharge or any future discharges not authorized by this permit.

Discharges reportable to the department under the immediate reporting requirements of other regulations are exempted from this requirement.

H. Reports of unusual or extraordinary discharges. If any unusual or extraordinary discharge including a bypass or upset should occur from a treatment works and the discharge enters or could be expected to enter state waters, the permittee shall promptly notify, in no case later than 24 hours, the department by telephone after the discovery of the discharge. This notification shall provide all available details of the incident, including any adverse effects on aquatic life and the known number of fish killed. The permittee shall reduce the report to writing and shall submit it to the department within five days of discovery of the discharge in accordance with Part II I 2. Unusual and extraordinary discharges include but are not limited to any discharge resulting from:

1. Unusual spillage of materials resulting directly or indirectly from processing operations;

2. Breakdown of processing or accessory equipment;

3. Failure or taking out of service some or all of the treatment works; and

4. Flooding or other acts of nature.

I. Reports of noncompliance. The permittee shall report any noncompliance which may adversely affect state waters or may endanger public health.

1. An oral report shall be provided within 24 hours from the time the permittee becomes aware of the circumstances. The following shall be included as information which shall be reported within 24 hours under this paragraph:

a. Any unanticipated bypass; and

b. Any upset which causes a discharge to surface waters.

2. A written report shall be submitted within five days and shall contain:

a. A description of the noncompliance and its cause;

b. The period of noncompliance, including exact dates and times, and if the noncompliance has not been corrected, the anticipated time it is expected to continue; and

c. Steps taken or planned to reduce, eliminate, and prevent reoccurrence of the noncompliance.

The board may waive the written report on a case-by-case basis for reports of noncompliance under Part II I if the oral report has been received within 24 hours and no adverse impact on state waters has been reported.

3. The permittee shall report all instances of noncompliance not reported under Part II I 1 or 2, in writing, at the time the next monitoring reports are submitted. The reports shall contain the information listed in Part II I 2.

NOTE: The immediate (within 24 hours) reports required in Part II G, H and I may be made to the department's regional office. Reports may be made by telephone, FAX, or online at http://www.deq.virginia.gov/Programs/PollutionResponsePreparedness/MakingaReport.aspx. For reports outside normal working hours, a message may be left and this shall fulfill the immediate reporting requirement. For emergencies, the Virginia Department of Emergency Management maintains a 24-hour telephone service at 1-800-468-8892.

J. Notice of planned changes.

1. The permittee shall give notice to the department as soon as possible of any planned physical alterations or additions to the permitted facility. Notice is required only when:

a. The permittee plans alteration or addition to any building, structure, facility, or installation from which there is or may be a discharge of pollutants, the construction of which commenced:

(1) After promulgation of standards of performance under § 306 of the Clean Water Act which are applicable to such source; or

(2) After proposal of standards of performance in accordance with § 306 of the Clean Water Act which are applicable to such source, but only if the standards are promulgated in accordance with § 306 within 120 days of their proposal;

b. The alteration or addition could significantly change the nature or increase the quantity of pollutants discharged. This notification applies to pollutants which are subject neither to effluent limitations nor to notification requirements specified elsewhere in this permit; or

c. The alteration or addition results in a significant change in the permittee's sludge use or disposal practices, and such alteration, addition, or change may justify the application of permit conditions that are different from or absent in the existing permit, including notification of additional use or disposal sites not reported during the permit application process or not reported pursuant to an approved land application plan.

2. The permittee shall give advance notice to the department of any planned changes in the permitted facility or activity which may result in noncompliance with permit requirements.

K. Signatory requirements.

1. Registration statement. All registration statements shall be signed as follows:

a. For a corporation: by a responsible corporate officer. For the purpose of this section, a responsible corporate officer means: (i) a president, secretary, treasurer, or vice-president of the corporation in charge of a principal business function, or any other person who performs similar policy-making or decision-making functions for the corporation; or (ii) the manager of one or more manufacturing, production, or operating facilities, provided the manager is authorized to make management decisions that govern the operation of the regulated facility including having the explicit or implicit duty of making major capital investment recommendations, and initiating and directing other comprehensive measures to assure long-term environmental compliance with environmental laws and regulations; the manager can ensure that the necessary systems are established or actions taken to gather complete and accurate information for permit registration requirements; and where authority to sign documents has been assigned or delegated to the manager in accordance with corporate procedures;

b. For a partnership or sole proprietorship: by a general partner or the proprietor, respectively; or

c. For a municipality, state, federal, or other public agency: by either a principal executive officer or ranking elected official. For purposes of this section, a principal executive officer of a public agency includes: (i) the chief executive officer of the agency, or (ii) a senior executive officer having responsibility for the overall operations of a principal geographic unit of the agency.

2. Reports, etc. All reports required by permits, and other information requested by the board shall be signed by a person described in Part II K 1 or by a duly authorized representative of that person. A person is a duly authorized representative only if:

a. The authorization is made in writing by a person described in Part II K 1;

b. The authorization specifies either an individual or a position having responsibility for the overall operation of the regulated facility or activity such as the position of plant manager, operator of a well or a well field, superintendent, position of equivalent responsibility, or an individual or position having overall responsibility for environmental matters for the company. A duly authorized representative may thus be either a named individual or any individual occupying a named position; and

c. The written authorization is submitted to the department.

3. Changes to authorization. If an authorization under Part II K 2 is no longer accurate because a different individual or position has responsibility for the overall operation of the facility, a new authorization satisfying the requirements of Part II K 2 shall be submitted to the department prior to or together with any reports, or information to be signed by an authorized representative.

4. Certification. Any person signing a document under Part II K 1 or 2 shall make the following certification:

"I certify under penalty of law that this document and all attachments were prepared under my direction or supervision in accordance with a system designed to assure that qualified personnel properly gather and evaluate the information submitted. Based on my inquiry of the person or persons who manage the system, or those persons directly responsible for gathering the information, the information submitted is, to the best of my knowledge and belief, true, accurate, and complete. I am aware that there are significant penalties for submitting false information, including the possibility of fine and imprisonment for knowing violations."

L. Duty to comply. The permittee shall comply with all conditions of this permit. Any permit noncompliance constitutes a violation of the State Water Control Law and the Clean Water Act, except that noncompliance with certain provisions of this permit may constitute a violation of the State Water Control Law but not the Clean Water Act. Permit noncompliance is grounds for enforcement action; for permit termination, revocation and reissuance, or modification; or denial of a permit coverage renewal application.

The permittee shall comply with effluent standards or prohibitions established under § 307(a) of the Clean Water Act for toxic pollutants and with standards for sewage sludge use or disposal established under § 405(d) of the Clean Water Act within the time provided in the regulations that establish these standards or prohibitions or standards for sewage sludge use or disposal, even if this permit has not yet been modified to incorporate the requirement.

M. Duty to reapply. If the permittee wishes to continue an activity regulated by this permit after the expiration date of this permit, the permittee shall submit a new registration statement at least 60 days before the expiration date of the existing permit, unless permission for a later date has been granted by the board. The board shall not grant permission for registration statements to be submitted later than the expiration date of the existing permit.

N. Effect of a permit. This permit does not convey any property rights in either real or personal property or any exclusive privileges, nor does it authorize any injury to private property or invasion of personal rights, or any infringement of federal, state or local law or regulations.

O. State law. Nothing in this permit shall be construed to preclude the institution of any legal action under, or relieve the permittee from any responsibilities, liabilities, or penalties established pursuant to any other state law or regulation or under authority preserved by § 510 of the Clean Water Act. Except as provided in permit conditions on "bypassing" (Part II U), and "upset" (Part II V) nothing in this permit shall be construed to relieve the permittee from civil and criminal penalties for noncompliance.

P. Oil and hazardous substance liability. Nothing in this permit shall be construed to preclude the institution of any legal action or relieve the permittee from any responsibilities, liabilities, or penalties to which the permittee is or may be subject under §§ 62.1-44.34:14 through 62.1-44.34:23 of the State Water Control Law.

Q. Proper operation and maintenance. The permittee shall at all times properly operate and maintain all facilities and systems of treatment and control (and related appurtenances) which are installed or used by the permittee to achieve compliance with the conditions of this permit. Proper operation and maintenance also includes effective plant performance, adequate funding, adequate staffing, and adequate laboratory and process controls, including appropriate quality assurance procedures. This provision requires the operation of back-up or auxiliary facilities or similar systems which are installed by the permittee only when the operation is necessary to achieve compliance with the conditions of this permit.

R. Disposal of solids or sludges. Solids, sludges or other pollutants removed in the course of treatment or management of pollutants shall be disposed of in a manner so as to prevent any pollutant from such materials from entering state waters.

S. Duty to mitigate. The permittee shall take all reasonable steps to minimize or prevent any discharge or sludge use or disposal in violation of this permit which has a reasonable likelihood of adversely affecting human health or the environment.

T. Need to halt or reduce activity not a defense. It shall not be a defense for a permittee in an enforcement action that it would have been necessary to halt or reduce the permitted activity in order to maintain compliance with the conditions of this permit.

U. Bypass.

1. "Bypass" means the intentional diversion of waste streams from any portion of a treatment facility. The permittee may allow any bypass to occur which does not cause effluent limitations to be exceeded, but only if it also is for essential maintenance to assure efficient operation. These bypasses are not subject to the provisions of Part II U 2 and 3.

2. Notice.

a. Anticipated bypass. If the permittee knows in advance of the need for a bypass, prior notice shall be submitted, if possible at least 10 days before the date of the bypass.

b. Unanticipated bypass. The permittee shall submit notice of an unanticipated bypass as required in Part II I.

3. Prohibition of bypass.

a. Bypass is prohibited, and the board may take enforcement action against a permittee for bypass, unless:

(1) Bypass was unavoidable to prevent loss of life, personal injury, or severe property damage;

(2) There were no feasible alternatives to the bypass, such as the use of auxiliary treatment facilities, retention of untreated wastes, or maintenance during normal periods of equipment downtime. This condition is not satisfied if adequate back-up equipment should have been installed in the exercise of reasonable engineering judgment to prevent a bypass which occurred during normal periods of equipment downtime or preventive maintenance; and

(3) The permittee submitted notices as required under Part II U 2.

b. The board may approve an anticipated bypass, after considering its adverse effects, if the board determines that it will meet the three conditions listed above in Part II U 3 a.

V. Upset.

1. An upset constitutes an affirmative defense to an action brought for noncompliance with technology based permit effluent limitations if the requirements of Part II V 2 are met. A determination made during administrative review of claims that noncompliance was caused by upset, and before an action for noncompliance, is not a final administrative action subject to judicial review.

2. A permittee who wishes to establish the affirmative defense of upset shall demonstrate, through properly signed, contemporaneous operating logs, or other relevant evidence that:

a. An upset occurred and that the permittee can identify the cause(s) of the upset;

b. The permitted facility was at the time being properly operated;

c. The permittee submitted notice of the upset as required in Part II I; and

d. The permittee complied with any remedial measures required under Part II S.

3. In any enforcement proceeding the permittee seeking to establish the occurrence of an upset has the burden of proof.

W. Inspection and entry. The permittee shall allow the director, or an authorized representative, upon presentation of credentials and other documents as may be required by law, to:

1. Enter upon the permittee's premises where a regulated facility or activity is located or conducted, or where records must be kept under the conditions of this permit;

2. Have access to and copy, at reasonable times, any records that must be kept under the conditions of this permit;

3. Inspect at reasonable times any facilities, equipment (including monitoring and control equipment), practices, or operations regulated or required under this permit; and

4. Sample or monitor at reasonable times, for the purposes of assuring permit compliance or as otherwise authorized by the Clean Water Act and the State Water Control Law, any substances or parameters at any location.

For purposes of this section, the time for inspection shall be deemed reasonable during regular business hours, and whenever the facility is discharging. Nothing contained herein shall make an inspection unreasonable during an emergency.

X. Permit actions. Permits may be modified, revoked and reissued, or terminated for cause. The filing of a request by the permittee for a permit modification, revocation and reissuance, or termination, or a notification of planned changes or anticipated noncompliance does not stay any permit condition.

Y. Transfer of permits.

Permits are not transferable to any person except after notice to the department.

Coverage under this permit may be automatically transferred to a new permittee if:

1. The current permittee notifies the department within 30 days of the proposed transfer of the title to the facility or property, unless permission for a later date has been granted by the board;

2. The notice includes a written agreement between the existing and new permittees containing a specific date for transfer of permit responsibility, coverage, and liability between them; and

3. The board does not notify the existing permittee and the proposed new permittee of its intent to deny the new permittee coverage under the permit. If this notice is not received, the transfer is effective on the date specified in the agreement mentioned in Part II Y 2.

Z. Severability. The provisions of this permit are severable, and if any provision of this permit or the application of any provision of this permit to any circumstance, is held invalid, the application of such provision to other circumstances, and the remainder of this permit, shall not be affected thereby.

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; Errata, 31:3 VA.R. 194 October 6, 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.