9VAC25-190 Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (VPDES) General Permit Regulation for Nonmetallic Mineral Mining

REGULATIONS

Vol. 25 Iss. 9 - January 05, 2009

TITLE 9. ENVIRONMENT

STATE WATER CONTROL BOARD

Chapter 190

Proposed Regulation

REGISTRAR'S NOTICE: The following regulation filed by the State Water Control Board is exempt from the Administrative Process Act in accordance with § 2.2-4006 A 9 of the Code of Virginia, which exempts general permits issued by the State Water Control Board pursuant to the State Water Control Law (§ 62.1-44.2 et seq.), Chapter 24 (§ 62.1-242 et seq.) of Title 62.1 and Chapter 25 (§ 62.1-254 et seq.) of Title 62.1, if the board (i) provides a Notice of Intended Regulatory Action in conformance with the provisions of § 2.2-4007.01, (ii) following the passage of 30 days from the publication of the Notice of Intended Regulatory Action forms a technical advisory committee composed of relevant stakeholders, including potentially affected citizens groups, to assist in the development of the general permit, (iii) provides notice and receives oral and written comment as provided in § 2.2-4007.03, and (iv) conducts at least one public hearing on the proposed general permit.

Title of Regulation: 9VAC25-190. Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (VPDES) General Permit Regulation for Nonmetallic Mineral Mining (amending 9VAC25-190-10, 9VAC25-190-20, 9VAC25-190-50, 9VAC25-190-60, 9VAC25-190-70).

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

Public Hearing Information:

February 4, 2009 - 10 a.m. - Department of Environmental Quality, Piedmont Regional Office, 4949-A Cox Road, Glen Allen, VA

Public Comments: Public comments may be submitted until 5 p.m. on March 6, 2009.

Public Participation: In addition to any other comments, the board is seeking comments on the costs and benefits of the proposal, the potential impacts on the regulated community and on any impacts of the regulation on farm and forest land preservation. Also, the board is seeking information on impacts on small businesses as defined in § 2.2-4007.1 of the Code of Virginia. Information may include (i) projected reporting, recordkeeping and other administrative costs, (ii) probable effect of the regulation on affected small businesses, and (iii) description of less intrusive or costly alternative methods of achieving the purpose of the regulation.

Anyone wishing to submit written comments for the public comment file may do so at the public hearing or by mail, email or fax to George Cosby, Office of Regulatory Affairs, Department of Environmental Quality, P.O. Box 1105, Richmond, VA 23218, telephone [phone], FAX [phone], email [e-mail]. Comments may also be submitted through the public forum feature of the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall website at www.townhall.virginia.gov. Written comments must include the name and address of the commenter. In order to be considered comments must be received by 5 p.m. on the date established as the close of the comment period.

Agency Contact: George Cosby, Department of Environmental Quality, 629 East Main Street, P.O. Box 1105, Richmond, VA 23218, telephone [phone], FAX [phone], or email [e-mail].

Summary:

The proposed regulation sets forth standard language for effluent limitations and monitoring requirements necessary to regulate the discharge of wastewater from nonmetallic mineral mining. The existing general permit expires on June 30, 2009. The general permit is being reissued in order to continue making it available for nonmetallic mineral mining operations after that date.

Changes are proposed based on recommendations of the technical advisory committee and the EPA 2008 Multisector General Permit (MSGP). Proposed revisions include the addition of language defining vehicle and equipment washing and the addition of provisions concerning the discharge to waters where a total maximum daily load has been developed and approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

9VAC25-190-10. Definitions.

The words and terms used in this chapter shall have the meanings defined in the State Water Control Law Chapter 3.1 (§ 62.1-44.2 et seq.) of Title 62.1 of the Code of Virginia and the Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (VPDES) Permit Regulation (9VAC25-31-10 et seq.) unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Additionally, for the purposes of this chapter:

"Co-located "Colocated facility" means an industrial activity other than mineral mining operating on a site where the primary industrial activity is mineral mining. Such an activity must have wastewater characteristics similar to those of the mineral mine and be located within the permitted mining area. The term refers to activities that are commonly found at mining sites such as manufacturing of ready-mix concrete (SIC Code 3273), concrete products (SIC Codes 3271 and 3272), and asphalt paving materials (SIC Code 2951) except asphalt emulsion manufacturing. It does not mean industrial activity that is specifically excluded from this permit.

"Industrial activity" means activity associated with mineral mining facilities generally identified by SIC Major Group 14 including active or inactive mining operations that discharge storm water that has come into contact with any overburden, raw material, intermediate products, finished products, by-products or waste products located on the site of such operations. (Inactive mining operations are mining sites that are not being actively mined, but which have an identifiable owner/operator; inactive mining sites do not include sites where mining claims are being maintained prior to disturbances associated with the extraction, beneficiation, or processing of mined materials, nor sites where minimal activities are undertaken for the sole purpose of maintaining a mining claim.) Industrial activity also includes facilities classified under other SIC codes that may be colocated within the mineral mine permit area, unless they are expressly excluded by this general permit.

"Permittee" means the owner of a nonmetallic mineral mine covered under this general permit.

"Process wastewater" means any wastewater used in the slurry transport of mined material, air emissions control, or processing exclusive of mining, and any other water that becomes commingled with such wastewater in a pit, pond, lagoon, mine, or other facility used for treatment of such wastewater. It includes mine pit dewatering, water used in the process of washing stone, noncontact cooling water, wastewater from vehicle/equipment washing activities, return water from operations where mined material is dredged and miscellaneous plant cleanup wastewaters.

"Run-off coefficient" means the fraction of total rainfall that will appear at the conveyance as run-off.

"SIC" means the Standard Industrial Classification Code or Industrial Grouping from the U.S. Office of Management and Budget Standard Industrial Classification Manual, 1987 Edition.

"Significant materials" includes, but is not limited to, raw materials; fuels; materials such as solvents, detergents, and plastic pellets; finished materials such as metallic products; raw materials used in food processing or production; hazardous substances designated under Section 101(14) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) (42 USC § 9601 et seq.); any chemical the owner is required to report pursuant to Section 313 of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) (42 USC § 11001 et seq.); fertilizers; pesticides; and waste products such as ashes, slag and sludge (including pond sediments) that have the potential to be released with storm water discharges.

"Storm water" means storm water run-off, snow melt run-off, and surface run-off and drainage.

"Storm water discharge associated with industrial activity" means the discharge from any conveyance which is used for collecting and conveying storm water and which is directly related to manufacturing, processing or raw materials storage areas at an industrial plant. The term does not include discharges from facilities or activities excluded from the VPDES program under 9VAC25-31-10 et seq 9VAC25-31. For the categories of industries identified in the "industrial activity" definition, the term includes, but is not limited to, storm water discharges from industrial plant yards; immediate access roads and rail lines used or traveled by carriers of raw materials, manufactured products, waste material, or by-products used or created by the mineral mine; material handling sites; refuse sites; sites used for the application or disposal of process wastewaters; sites used for the storage and maintenance of material handling equipment; sites used for residual treatment, storage, or disposal; shipping and receiving areas; manufacturing buildings; storage areas (including tank farms) for raw materials, and intermediate and finished products; and areas where industrial activity has taken place in the past and significant materials remain and are exposed to storm water. For the purposes of this paragraph, material handling activities include the storage, loading and unloading, transportation, or conveyance of any raw material, intermediate product, finished product, by-product or waste product. The term excludes areas located on plant lands separate from the plant's industrial activities, such as office buildings and accompanying parking lots as long as the drainage from the excluded areas is not mixed with storm water drained from the above described areas.

"Vehicle/equipment washing" means the washing with detergents or steam cleaning of engines and other drive components in which the purpose is to clean and degrease the equipment for maintenance and other purposes. The application of water without detergent to a vehicle exterior for the purpose of removing sediment is excluded.

9VAC25-190-20. Purpose; delegation of authority; effective date of permit.

A. The purpose of this chapter is to establish General Permit Number VAG84 to regulate wastewater discharge from nonmetallic mineral mines as follows:

1. For active and inactive nonmetallic mineral mining facilities in SIC Major Group 14, this general permit covers discharges composed entirely of storm water associated with industrial activity.

2. This general permit authorizes the discharge of process wastewater as well as storm water associated with industrial activity from active and inactive mineral mines classified under Standard Industrial Classification Codes 1411, 1422, 1423, 1429, 1442, 1455, 1459 excluding bentonite and magnesite mines, 1475, and 1499 excluding gypsum, graphite, asbestos, diatomite, jade, novaculite, wollastonite, tripoli or asphaltic mineral mines.

3. Coal mining, metal mining, and oil and gas extraction are not covered by this general permit.

B. The director, or an authorized representative, may perform any act of the board provided under this chapter, except as limited by § 62.1-44.14 of the Code of Virginia.

C. This general permit will become effective on July 1, 2004 July 1, 2009, and will expire five years after the effective date. For any covered owner, this general permit is effective upon compliance with all the provisions of 9VAC25-190-50 and the receipt of this general permit.

9VAC25-190-50. Authorization to discharge.

A. Any owner governed by this general permit is authorized by this to discharge to surface waters of the Commonwealth of Virginia provided that the owner files a registration statement as described in 9VAC25-190-60 that is accepted by the board, files the required permit fee, complies with the effluent limitations and other requirements of 9VAC25-190-70, and provided that:

1. The owner shall not have been required to obtain an individual permit as may be required in the VPDES permit regulation (9VAC25-31-10 et seq.); (9VAC25-31).

2. The owner shall not be authorized by this general permit to discharge to state waters specifically named in other board regulations or policies which prohibit such discharges; .

3. The owner shall have a mineral mining permit for the operation to be covered by this general permit which has been approved by the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy, Division of Mineral Mining (or associated waivered program, locality or state agency) under provisions and requirements of Title 45.1 of the Code of Virginia. Mineral mines located in bordering states with discharges in Virginia shall provide documentation that they have a mining permit from the appropriate state authority. Mineral mines owned and operated by governmental bodies not subject to the provisions and requirements of Title 45.1 of the Code of Virginia are exempt from this requirement; and.

4. The owner shall implement pollution control measures necessary to comply with the conditions and limitations of this general permit including, but not limited to, the installation, operation and maintenance of sediment control structures.

5. The owner shall not be authorized by this general permit to discharge to waters for which a "total maximum daily load" (TMDL) allocation has been established by the board and approved by EPA prior to the term of this permit, unless the owner develops, implements and maintains a storm water pollution prevention plan (SWPPP) that is consistent with the assumptions and requirements of the TMDL. This only applies where the facility is an identified source of the TMDL pollutant of concern. The SWPPP shall specifically address any conditions or requirements included in the TMDL that are applicable that applies to discharges from the facility, the owner shall incorporate that allocation into the facility's SWPPP and implement measures necessary to meet that allocation.

B. The board shall deny coverage under this general permit to any owner with discharge or storm water discharge-related activities which the board determines cause, may reasonably be expected to cause, or may be contributing to a violation of water quality standards, including discharges or discharge-related activities that are likely to adversely affect aquatic life.

C. Receipt of this general permit does not relieve any owner of the responsibility to comply with any other federal, state or local statute, ordinance or regulation.

9VAC25-190-60. Registration statement.

The owner shall file a complete general VPDES permit registration statement, which will serve as a notice of intent for coverage under the general permit for nonmetallic mineral mining. Any owner proposing a new discharge shall file the registration statement at least 30 days prior to the date planned for operation of the mineral mine. Any owner of an existing mineral mine covered by an individual VPDES permit who is proposing to be covered by this general permit shall file the registration statement at least 180 days prior to the expiration date of the individual VPDES permit. Any owner of an existing mineral mine covered by the general VPDES permit for nonmetallic mineral mining that became effective on June 30, 1999, who wishes to remain covered by this general permit shall file a new registration statement in accordance with the general permit requirements in order to avoid a lapse in coverage. Any owner of an existing mineral mine not currently covered by a VPDES permit who is proposing to be covered by this general permit shall file the registration statement. The required registration statement shall contain the following information:

1. Facility name, owner, mailing address, email address and telephone number;

2. Project name, county, and location, latitude and longitude;

3. Description of mining activity;

4. Primary and secondary SIC codes;

5. Discharge information including:

a. A list of outfalls identified by outfall numbers, ;

b. Characterization of the type of each listed outfall's discharge as either process wastewater, storm water, or process wastewater commingled with storm water, ;

c. Characterization of the source of each listed outfall's discharge as either mine pit dewatering, storm water associated with industrial activity (see definition in 9VAC25-115-10), storm water not associated with industrial activity, ground water infiltration, wastewater from vehicle and/or equipment washing activities, mined material washing, noncontact cooling water, miscellaneous plant cleanup wastewater, co-located colocated facility discharges (identify the co-located facility), other discharges not listed here (describe), or any combination of the above, ;

d. The receiving stream for each outfall listed, ;

e. The latitude and longitude for each outfall listed; and

f. Indicate which storm water outfalls will be representative outfalls that require a single Discharge Monitoring Report (DMR). For storm water outfalls that are to be represented by other outfall discharges, provide a description of the activities associated with those outfalls and explain why they are substantially the same as the representative outfall to be sampled;

6. Indicate if the facility has a current VPDES permit and the permit number if it does;

7. Description of wastewater treatment or reuse/recycle systems or both;

8. List of any chemicals added to water that could be discharged;

9. List of co-located colocated facilities;

10. Indicate if the facility is a hazardous waste treatment, storage or disposal facility;

11. Schematic drawing showing water flow from source to water-using industrial operations to waste treatment and disposal, and disposal of any solids removed from wastewater;

12. Aerial photo or scale map that clearly shows the property boundaries, plant site, drainage areas associated with each outfall, locations of all mine pit dewatering, existing, significant sources of materials exposed to precipitation, storm water or process wastewater outfalls and the receiving streams;

13. Evidence that the operation to be covered by this general permit has a mining permit that has been approved by the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy, Division of Mineral Mining (or associated waivered program) under the provisions and requirements of Title 45.1 of the Code of Virginia (or appropriate bordering state authorization). Mineral mines owned and operated by governmental bodies not subject to the provisions and requirements of Title 45.1 of the Code of Virginia are exempt from this requirement;

14. Mining permit number;

15. 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."

The registration statement shall be signed in accordance with 9VAC25-31-110.

9VAC25-190-70. General permit.

Any owner whose registration statement is accepted by the board will receive the following permit and shall comply with the requirements in it and be subject to all requirements of the VPDES permit regulation, 9VAC25-31-10 et seq.

General Permit No.: VAG84

Effective date: July 1, 2004 2009

Expiration date: June 30, 2009 2014

GENERAL PERMIT FOR NONMETALLIC MINERAL MINING

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 to it, owners of nonmetallic mineral mines are authorized to discharge to surface waters within the boundaries of the Commonwealth of Virginia, except those specifically named in board regulations or policies which prohibit such discharges.

The authorized discharge shall be in accordance with this cover page, Part I—Effluent Limitations and Monitoring Requirements, Part II—Storm Water Management, and Part III—Conditions Applicable to All VPDES Permits, as set forth herein.

Part I
Effluent Limitations And and Monitoring Requirements

A. Effluent limitations and monitoring requirements.

1. During the period beginning with the permittee's coverage under this general permit and lasting until the permit's expiration date, the permittee is authorized to discharge process wastewater and commingled storm water associated with industrial activity from outfall(s).

Such discharges shall be limited and monitored by the permittee as specified below:

EFFLUENT CHARACTERISTICS	DISCHARGE LIMITATIONS			MONITORING REQUIREMENTS
	Monthly Average	Daily Minimum	Daily Maximum	Frequency(3)	Sample Type
Flow (MGD)	NL	NA	NL	1/3 Months	Estimate
Total Suspended Solids (mg/l)	30	NA	60	1/3 Months	Grab
pH (standard units)	NA	6.0* 6.0(1)	9.0* 9.0(1)	1/3 Months	Grab
Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (mg/l)** (mg/l)(2)	NA	NA	NL	1/3 Months	Grab
NL = No Limitation, monitoring required NA = Not Applicable *Where (1)Where the Water Quality Standards (9VAC25-260) establish alternate standards for pH, pH effluent limits may be adjusted within the 6 to 9 S.U. range. **Monitoring (2)Monitoring for Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons is only required for outfalls from vehicle/equipment washing facilities or from discharges that pass through oil/water separators. (3)Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMRs) of quarterly monitoring shall be submitted to the DEQ regional office no later than the 10th day of April, July, October, and January.

2. There shall be no discharge of floating solids or visible foam in other than trace amounts.

3. During the period beginning with the permittee's coverage under the general permit and lasting until the permit's expiration date, the permittee is authorized to discharge storm water associated with industrial activity which does not combine with other wastewaters prior to discharge from outfall(s).

Such discharges shall be limited and monitored by the permittee as specified below:

EFFLUENT CHARACTERISTICS	DISCHARGE LIMITATIONS			MONITORING REQUIREMENTS
	Monthly Average	Daily Minimum	Daily Maximum	Frequency(2)	Sample Type
Flow (MG)	NA	NA	NL	1/Year	Estimate* Estimate(1)
Total Suspended Solids (mg/l)	NA	NA	NL(3)	1/Year	Grab
pH (standard units)	NA	NL	NL	1/Year	Grab
NL = No Limitation, monitoring required NA = Not applicable *Estimate (1)Estimate of the total volume of the discharge during the storm event. (2)Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMRs) of yearly monitoring (January 1 to December 31) shall be submitted to the DEQ regional office no later than the 10th day of January. (3)Refer to Part I B 13 should the TSS evaluation monitoring exceed 100 mg/l daily maximum.

4. All samples taken to meet the monitoring requirements specified above in A. 3 Part I A 3 shall be collected from the discharge resulting from a storm event that is greater than 0.1 inches in magnitude. and that occurs at least 72 hours from the previously measurable (greater than 0.1 inch rainfall) storm event. The grab sample shall be taken during the first 30 minutes of the discharge. If the collection of a grab sample during the first 30 minutes is impracticable, a grab sample can be taken during the first hour of the discharge, and the permittee shall submit with the monitoring report a description of why a grab sample during the first 30 minutes was impracticable.

B. Special conditions.

1. Vehicles and equipment utilized during the industrial activity on a site must be operated and maintained in such a manner as to prevent the potential or actual point source pollution of the surface or groundwaters of the state. Fuels, lubricants, coolants, and hydraulic fluids, or any other petroleum products, shall not be disposed of by discharging on the ground or into surface waters. Spent fluids shall be disposed of in a manner so as not to enter the surface or groundwaters of the state and in accordance with the applicable state and federal disposal regulations. Any spilled fluids shall be cleaned up to the maximum extent practicable and disposed of in a manner so as not to allow their entry into the surface or groundwaters of the state.

2. No sewage shall be discharged from this mineral mining activity except under the provisions of another VPDES permit specifically issued for that purpose.

3. There shall be no chemicals added to the discharge, other than those listed on the owner's approved registration statement.

4. The permittee shall submit a new registration statement if the mining permit approved by the Division of Mineral Mining (or associated waivered program, or bordering state mine authority) is modified or reissued in any way that would affect the outfall location or the characteristics of a discharge covered by this general permit. Government owned and operated mines without mining permits shall submit the registration statement whenever outfall location or characteristics are altered. The new registration statement shall be filed within 30 days of the outfall relocation or change in the characteristics of the discharge.

5. The permittee shall notify the department as soon as they know or have reason to believe:

a. That any activity has occurred or will occur which would result in the discharge, on a routine or frequent basis, of any toxic pollutant which is not limited in this permit, if that discharge will exceed the highest of the following notification levels:

(1) One hundred micrograms per liter (100 μg/l);

(2) Two hundred micrograms per liter (200 μg/l) for acrolein and acrylonitrile; five hundred micrograms per liter (500 μg/l) for 2,4-dinitrophenol and for 2-methyl-4,6-dinitrophenol; and one milligram per liter (1 mg/l) for antimony;

(3) Five times the maximum concentration value reported for that pollutant in the permit application; or

(4) The level established by the board.

b. That any activity has occurred or will occur which would result in any discharge, on a nonroutine or infrequent basis, of a toxic pollutant which is not limited in this permit, if that discharge will exceed the highest of the following notification levels:

(1) Five hundred micrograms per liter (500 μg/l);

(2) One milligram per liter (1 mg/l) for antimony;

(3) Ten times the maximum concentration value reported for that pollutant in the permit application; or

(4) The level established by the board.

6. This permit shall be modified, or alternatively revoked and reissued, to comply with any applicable effluent standard or limitation or prohibition for a pollutant which is promulgated or approved under § 307(a)(2) of the federal Clean Water Act, if the effluent standard or limitation so issued or approved:

a. Is more stringent than any effluent limitation on the pollutant already in the permit; or

b. Controls any pollutant not limited in the permit.

7. Except as expressly authorized by this permit, no product, materials, industrial wastes, or other wastes resulting from the purchase, sale, mining, extraction, transport, preparation, or storage of raw or intermediate materials, final product, by-product or wastes, shall be handled, disposed of, or stored so as to permit a discharge of such product, materials, industrial wastes, or other wastes to state waters.

8. There shall be no discharge of process wastewater pollutants from co-located colocated asphalt paving materials operations. For the purposes of this special condition, process wastewater pollutants are any pollutants present in water used in asphalt paving materials manufacturing which come into direct contact with any raw materials, intermediate product, by-product or product related to the asphalt paving materials manufacturing process.

9. Process water may be used on site for the purpose of dust suppression. Dust suppression shall be carried out as a best management practice but not as a wastewater disposal method provided that ponding or direct runoff from the site does not occur during or immediately following its application.

10. Process water from mine dewatering may be provided to local property owners for beneficial agricultural use.

11. Vehicle/equipment washing shall include washing with detergents or steam cleaning of engines and other drive components in which the purpose is to clean and decrease the equipment for maintenance and other purposes. The application of water without detergent to a vehicle exterior for the purpose of removing is excluded.

12. The permittee shall report at least two significant digits for a given parameter. Regardless of the rounding convention used (i.e., 5 always rounding up or to the nearest even number) by the permittee, the permittee shall use the convention consistently and shall ensure that consulting laboratories employed by the permittee use the same convention.

13. Storm Water Monitoring Total Suspended Solids (TSS) Evaluation. Permittees that monitor storm water associated with industrial activity which does not combine with other wastewaters prior to discharge shall review the results of the TSS monitoring required by Part I A 3 to determine if changes to the Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) may be necessary. If the TSS monitoring results are greater than the evaluation value of 100 mg/l, then the permittee shall perform the inspection and maintain documentation as described in Part II H 3 d for that outfall. Any deficiencies noted during the inspection shall be corrected in a timely manner.

14. Discharges to waters subject to TMDL waste load allocations. Facilities that are an identified source of the specified pollutant of concern to waters for which a "total maximum daily load" (TMDL) waste load allocation has been established by the board and approved by EPA 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 incorporate that allocation into the facility’s SWPPP, perform any required monitoring in accordance with Part I A 1 c (3), and implement measures necessary to meet that allocation.

Part II
Storm Water Management

A. Recording of results.

1. Additional information. In addition to any reporting requirements of Part III, for each measurement or sample taken pursuant to the storm event monitoring requirements of this permit, the permittee shall record and report with the discharge monitoring report the following information:

a. The date and duration (in hours) of the storm events sampled; and

b. The rainfall measurements or estimates (in inches) of the storm event which generated the sampled discharge; and.

c. The duration between the storm event sampled and the end of the previous measurable (greater than 0.1 inch rainfall) storm event.

2. Additional reporting. In addition to filing copies of discharge monitoring reports in accordance with Part III, permittees with at least one storm water discharge associated with industrial activity through a large or medium municipal separate storm sewer system (systems serving a population of 100,000 or more) or a municipal system designated by the board must submit signed copies of discharge monitoring reports to the operator of the municipal separate storm sewer system at the same time.

B. Representative discharge. When a facility has two or more exclusively storm water outfalls that, based on a consideration of industrial activity, significant materials, and management practices and activities within the area drained by the outfall, the permittee reasonably believes discharge substantially identical effluents, the permittee may test the effluent of one of such outfalls and include with the discharge monitoring report an explanation that the quantitative data also applies to the substantially identical outfalls provided that the permittee includes a description of the location of the outfalls and explains in detail why the outfalls are expected to discharge substantially identical effluents. In addition, for each exclusively storm water outfall that the permittee believes is representative, an estimate of the size of the drainage area (in square feet) and an estimate of the run-off coefficient of the drainage area (e.g., low (under 40%), medium (40% to 65%) or high (above 65%)) shall be provided. the permittee reasonably believes discharge substantially identical effluents, based on a consideration of industrial activity, significant materials, and management practices and activities within the area drained by the outfalls, then the permittee may submit information with the registration statement substantiating the request for only one DMR to be issued for the outfall to be sampled that represents one or more substantially identical outfalls. Also the permittee may list on the discharge monitoring report of the outfall to be sampled all outfall locations that are represented by the discharge.

C. Sampling waiver.

1. Adverse conditions. When a permittee is unable to collect samples within a specified sampling period due to adverse climatic conditions, the permittee shall collect a substitute sample from a separate qualifying event in the next period and submit these data along with the data for the routine sampling in that period. Adverse weather conditions that may prohibit the collection of samples include weather conditions that create dangerous conditions for personnel (such as local flooding, high winds, hurricane, tornadoes, electrical storms, etc.) or otherwise make the collection of a sample impracticable (drought, extended frozen conditions, etc.).

2. Inactive and unstaffed facilities. When a permittee is unable to conduct the storm water sampling required at an inactive and unstaffed facility, the permittee may exercise a waiver of the monitoring requirements as long as the facility remains inactive and unstaffed. The permittee must submit to the department, in lieu of monitoring data, a certification statement on the discharge monitoring report stating that the facility is inactive and unstaffed so that collecting a sample during a qualifying event is not possible.

D. Storm water pollution prevention plans. A storm water pollution prevention plan shall be developed for each facility covered by this permit. Storm water pollution prevention plans shall be prepared in accordance with good engineering practices. The plan shall identify potential sources of pollution which may reasonably be expected to affect the quality of storm water discharges associated with industrial activity from the facility. In addition, the plan shall describe and ensure the implementation of practices which are to be used to reduce the pollutants in storm water discharges associated with industrial activity at the facility and to assure compliance with the terms and conditions of this permit. Facilities must implement the provisions of the storm water pollution prevention plan required under this part as a condition of this permit.

The storm water pollution prevention plan requirements of this general permit may be fulfilled by incorporating by reference other plans or documents such as an erosion and sediment control plan, a mine drainage plan as required by the Virginia Division of Mineral Mining, a spill prevention control and countermeasure (SPCC) plan developed for the facility under § 311 of the federal Clean Water Act or best management practices (BMP) programs otherwise required for the facility provided that the incorporated plan meets or exceeds the plan requirements of Part II H. If an erosion and sediment control plan is being incorporated by reference, it shall have been approved by the locality in which the activity is to occur or by another appropriate plan-approving authority authorized under the Virginia Erosion and Sediment Control Regulations, 4VAC50-30. All plans incorporated by reference into the storm water pollution prevention plan become enforceable under this permit. If a plan incorporated by reference does not contain all of the required elements of the storm water pollution prevention plan of Part II H, the permittee must develop the missing plan elements and include them in the required storm water pollution prevention plan.

E. Deadlines for plan preparation and compliance.

1. Existing facilities and new facilities that begin operation on or before July 1, 2004 2009, shall prepare and implement a plan incorporating the storm water pollution prevention plan requirements of this permit, if not included in an existing plan, as expeditiously as practicable, but not later than July 1, 2005 2010. Existing storm water pollution prevention plans being implemented as of July 1, 2004 2009 shall continue to be implemented until a new plan is developed and implemented.

2. Facilities that begin operation after July 1, 2004 2009, shall prepare and implement a plan incorporating the requirements of this permit prior to submitting the registration statement.

F. Signature and plan review.

1. The plan shall be signed in accordance with Part III K (signatory requirements), and be retained on-site at the facility covered by this permit in accordance with Part III B (records) of this permit. When there are no on-site buildings or offices in which to store the plan, it shall be kept at the nearest company office.

2. The permittee shall make the storm water pollution prevention plan, annual site compliance inspection report, or other information available to the department upon request.

3. The director, or an authorized representative, may notify the permittee at any time that the plan does not meet one or more of the minimum requirements of this part. Such notification shall identify those provisions of the permit which are not being met by the plan, and identify which provisions of the plan require modifications in order to meet the minimum requirements of this part. Within 60 days of such notification from the director, or as otherwise provided by the director, or an authorized representative, the permittee shall make the required changes to the plan and shall submit to the department a written certification that the requested changes have been made.

G. Keeping plans current. The permittee shall amend the plan whenever there is a change in design, construction, operation, or maintenance, which has a significant effect on the potential for the discharge of pollutants to surface waters of the state or if the storm water pollution prevention plan proves to be ineffective in eliminating or significantly minimizing pollutants from sources identified under Part II H 2 (description of potential pollutant sources) of this permit, or in otherwise achieving the general objectives of controlling pollutants in storm water discharges associated with industrial activity. New owners shall review the existing plan and make appropriate changes. Amendments to the plan may be reviewed by the department in the same manner as described in Part II F.

H. Contents of plan. The plan shall include, at a minimum, the following items:

1. Pollution prevention team. Each plan shall identify a specific individual or individuals within the facility organization as members of a storm water pollution prevention team that are responsible for developing the storm water pollution prevention plan and assisting the facility or plant manager in its implementation, maintenance, and revision. The plan shall clearly identify the responsibilities of each team member. The activities and responsibilities of the team shall address all aspects of the facility's storm water pollution prevention plan.

2. Description of potential pollutant sources. Each plan shall provide a description of potential sources which may reasonably be expected to add significant amounts of pollutants to storm water discharges or which may result in the discharge of pollutants during dry weather from separate storm sewers draining the facility. Each plan shall identify all activities and significant materials which may potentially be significant pollutant sources. Each plan shall include, at a minimum:

a. Drainage.

(1) A site map indicating an outline of the portions of the drainage area of each storm water outfall that are within the facility boundaries, each existing structural control measure to reduce pollutants in storm water run-off, surface water bodies, locations where significant materials are exposed to precipitation, locations where major spills or leaks identified under Part II H 2 c (spills and leaks) of this permit have occurred, and the locations of the following activities where such activities are exposed to precipitation: fueling stations, vehicle and equipment maintenance and/or cleaning areas, loading/unloading areas, locations used for the treatment, storage or disposal of wastes and wastewaters, liquid storage tanks, processing areas and storage areas. The map must indicate all outfall locations. The types of discharges contained in the drainage areas of the outfalls must be indicated either on the map or in an attached narrative.

(2) For each area of the facility that generates storm water discharges associated with industrial activity with a reasonable potential for containing significant amounts of pollutants, a prediction of the direction of flow, and an identification of the types of pollutants which are likely to be present in storm water discharges associated with industrial activity. Factors to consider include the toxicity of the chemicals; quantity of chemicals used, produced or discharged; the likelihood of contact with storm water; and history of significant leaks or spills of toxic or hazardous pollutants. Flows with a significant potential for causing erosion shall be identified.

b. Inventory of exposed materials. An inventory of the types of materials handled at the site that potentially may be exposed to precipitation. Such inventory shall include a narrative description of significant materials that have been handled, treated, stored or disposed in a manner to allow exposure to storm water between the time of three years prior to the date of coverage under this general permit and the present; method and location of on-site storage or disposal; materials management practices employed to minimize contact of materials with storm water run-off between the time of three years prior to the date of coverage under this general permit and the present; the location and a description of existing structural and nonstructural control measures to reduce pollutants in storm water run-off; and a description of any treatment the storm water receives.

c. Spills and leaks. A list of significant spills and significant leaks of toxic or hazardous pollutants that occurred at areas that are exposed to precipitation or that otherwise drain to a storm water conveyance at the facility after the date of three years prior to the date of coverage under this general permit. Such list shall be updated as appropriate during the term of the permit.

d. Sampling data. A summary of existing discharge sampling data describing pollutants in storm water discharges from the facility, including a summary of sampling data collected during the term of this permit.

e. Risk identification and summary of potential pollutant sources. A narrative description of the potential pollutant sources from the following activities: loading and unloading operations; outdoor storage activities; outdoor manufacturing or processing activities; significant dust or particulate generating processes; and on-site waste disposal practices. The description shall specifically list any significant potential source of pollutants at the site and for each potential source, any pollutant or pollutant parameter (e.g., biochemical oxygen demand, etc.) of concern shall be identified.

3. Measures and controls. Each facility covered by this permit shall develop a description of storm water management controls appropriate for the facility, and implement such controls. The appropriateness and priorities of controls in a plan shall reflect identified potential sources of pollutants at the facility. The description of storm water management controls shall address the following minimum components, including a schedule for implementing such controls:

a. Good housekeeping. Good housekeeping requires the maintenance of areas which may contribute pollutants to storm water discharges in a clean, orderly manner. The plan shall describe procedures performed to minimize contact of materials with storm water run-off. Particular attention should be paid to areas where raw materials are stockpiled, material handling areas, storage areas, liquid storage tanks, and loading/unloading areas.

b. Preventive maintenance. A preventive maintenance program shall involve timely inspection and maintenance of storm water management devices (e.g., cleaning oil/water separators, catch basins) as well as inspecting and testing facility equipment and systems to uncover conditions that could cause breakdowns or failures resulting in discharges of pollutants to surface waters, and ensuring appropriate maintenance of such equipment and systems. The maintenance program shall require periodic removal of debris from discharge diversions and conveyance systems. Permittees using settling basins to control their effluents must provide maintenance schedules for such basins in the pollution prevention plan.

c. Spill prevention and response procedures. Areas where potential spills which can contribute pollutants to storm water discharges can occur, and their accompanying drainage points shall be identified clearly in the storm water pollution prevention plan. Where appropriate, specifying material handling procedures, storage requirements, and use of equipment such as diversion valves in the plan should be considered. Procedures for cleaning up spills shall be identified in the plan and made available to the appropriate personnel. The necessary equipment to implement a clean up should be available to personnel.

d. Inspections. Facility personnel who are familiar with the mining activity, the best management practices and the storm water pollution prevention plan shall be identified to inspect material storage and handling areas, liquid storage tanks, hoppers or silos, vehicle and equipment maintenance areas, cleaning and fueling areas, material handling vehicles and designated equipment and processing areas of the facility; to inspect best management practices; and to conduct visual examinations of storm water associated with industrial activity. The inspection frequency shall be specified in the plan based upon a consideration of the level of industrial activity at the facility, but shall be a minimum of quarterly. Inspections of best management practices shall include inspection of storm water discharge diversions, conveyance systems, sediment control and collection systems, containment structures, vegetation, serrated slopes, and benched slopes to determine their effectiveness, the integrity of control structures, if soil erosion has occurred, or if there is evidence of actual or potential discharge of contaminated storm water. Visual examinations of storm water discharges associated with industrial activity shall include examination of storm water samples representative of storm event discharges from the facility and observation of color, odor, clarity, floating solids, settled solids, suspended solids, foam, oil sheen, and other obvious indicators of storm water pollution. Site inspection, best management practices inspection and visual examination results must be documented and maintained on-site with the facility pollution prevention plan. Documentation for visual examinations of storm water shall include the examination date and time, examination personnel, outfall location, the nature of the discharge, visual quality of the storm water discharge and probable sources of any observed storm water contamination. Part II B regarding representative discharges and Part II C regarding sampling waivers shall apply to the taking of samples for visual examination except that (i) the documentation required by these sections shall be retained with the storm water pollution prevention plan visual examination records rather than submitted to the department, and (ii) substitute sampling for waivered sampling is not required if the proper documentation is maintained. A set of tracking or followup procedures shall be used to ensure that appropriate actions are taken in response to the inspections.

e. Employee training. Employee training programs shall inform personnel responsible for implementing activities identified in the storm water pollution prevention plan or otherwise responsible for storm water management at all levels of responsibility of the components and goals of the storm water pollution prevention plan. Training should address topics such as spill response, good housekeeping and material management practices. A pollution prevention plan shall identify periodic dates for such training.

f. Recordkeeping and internal reporting procedures. A description of incidents such as spills, or other discharges, along with other information describing the quality and quantity of storm water discharges shall be included in the plan required under this part. Inspections and maintenance activities shall be documented and records of such activities shall be incorporated into the plan. Ineffective best management practices must be recorded and the date of their corrective action noted.

g. Sediment and erosion control. The plan shall identify areas which, due to topography, activities, or other factors, have a high potential for significant soil erosion, and identify structural, vegetative, or stabilization measures to be used to limit erosion. Permittees must indicate the location and design for proposed best management practices to be implemented prior to land disturbance activities. For sites already disturbed but without best management practices, the permittee must indicate the location and design of best management practices that will be implemented. The permittee is required to indicate plans for grading, contouring, stabilization, and establishment of vegetative cover for all disturbed areas, including road banks.

h. Management of run-off. The plan shall contain a narrative consideration of the appropriateness of traditional storm water management practices (practices other than those which control the generation or sources of pollutants) used to divert, infiltrate, reuse, or otherwise manage storm water run-off in a manner that reduces pollutants in storm water discharges from the site. The plan shall provide that measures that the permittee determines to be reasonable and appropriate shall be implemented and maintained. The potential of various sources at the facility to contribute pollutants to storm water discharges associated with industrial activity (see Part II H 2 (description of potential pollutant sources) of this permit) shall be considered when determining reasonable and appropriate measures. Appropriate measures may include: vegetative swales and practices, reuse of collected storm water (such as for a process or as an irrigation source), inlet controls (such as oil/water separators), snow management activities, infiltration devices, and wet detention/retention devices.

4. Comprehensive site compliance evaluation. Facility personnel who are familiar with the mining activity, the best management practices and the storm water pollution prevention plan shall conduct site compliance evaluations at appropriate intervals specified in the plan, but in no case less than once a year for active sites. When annual compliance evaluations are shown in the plan to be impractical for inactive mining sites due to remote location and inaccessibility, site evaluations must be conducted at least once every three years. Such evaluations shall include the following:

a. Areas contributing to a storm water discharge associated with industrial activity, including material storage and handling areas; liquid storage tanks; hoppers or silos; vehicle and equipment maintenance, cleaning, and fueling areas; material handling vehicles; equipment and processing areas; and areas where aggregate is stockpiled outdoors, shall be visually inspected for evidence of, or the potential for, pollutants entering the drainage system. Measures to reduce pollutant loadings shall be evaluated to determine whether they are adequate and properly implemented in accordance with the terms of the permit or whether additional control measures are needed. Structural storm water management measures, sediment and erosion control measures, and other structural pollution prevention measures identified in the plan shall be observed to ensure that they are operating correctly. A visual inspection of equipment needed to implement the plan, such as spill response equipment, shall be made.

b. Based on the results of the evaluation, the description of potential pollutant sources identified in the plan in accordance with Part II H 2 (description of potential pollutant sources) of this permit and pollution prevention measures and controls identified in the plan in accordance with Part II H 3 (measures and controls) of this permit shall be revised as appropriate within 14 days of such inspection and shall provide for implementation of any changes to the plan in a timely manner, but in no case more than 90 days after the inspection.

c. A report summarizing the scope of the inspection, personnel making the inspection, the dates of the inspection, major observations relating to the implementation of the storm water pollution prevention plan, and actions taken in accordance with Part II H 4 b of this permit shall be made and retained as required in Part III B (records). The report shall identify any incidents of noncompliance. Where a report does not identify any incidents of noncompliance, the report shall contain a certification that the facility is in compliance with the storm water pollution prevention plan and this permit. The report shall be signed in accordance with Part III K (signatory requirements) of this permit and retained as required in Part III B.

d. Where compliance evaluation schedules overlap with inspections required under Part II H 3 d (inspections), the compliance evaluation may be conducted in place of one such inspection.

5. Additional requirements for storm water discharges associated with industrial activity that discharge into or through municipal separate storm sewer systems serving a population of 100,000 or more.

a. In addition to the applicable requirements of this permit, facilities covered by this permit must comply with applicable requirements in municipal storm water management programs developed under VPDES permits issued for the discharge of the municipal separate storm sewer system that receives the facility's discharge, provided the permittee has been notified of such conditions.

b. Permittees that discharge storm water associated with industrial activity through a municipal separate storm sewer system serving a population of 100,000 or more, or a municipal system designated by the director, shall make plans available to the municipal operator of the system upon request.

Part III
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.

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. Except for records of monitoring information required by this permit related to the permittee's sewage sludge use and disposal activities, which shall be retained for a period of at least five years, the permittee shall retain 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 of the sample, measurement, report or request for coverage. 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 in 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 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 his 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 III F (unauthorized discharges); or who discharges or causes or allows a discharge that may reasonably be expected to enter state waters in violation of Part III 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 affects 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 III 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 subdivision:

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 III 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 Parts III I 1 or 2, in writing, at the time the next monitoring reports are submitted. The reports shall contain the information listed in Part III I 2.

NOTE: The immediate (within 24 hours) reports required in Parts III G, H and I may be made to the department's regional office. Reports may be made by telephone or by fax. For reports outside normal working hours, leave a message and this shall fulfill the immediate reporting requirement. For emergencies, the Virginia Department of Emergency Services 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 federal Clean Water Act which are applicable to such source; or

(2) After proposal of standards of performance in accordance with § 306 of the federal 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 purposes 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- 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 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 application 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 III 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 III 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 III 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 III 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 Parts III 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 federal 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 federal Clean Water Act. Permit noncompliance is grounds for enforcement action; for permit termination, revocation and reissuance, or modification; or denial of a permit renewal application.

The permittee shall comply with effluent standards or prohibitions established under § 307(a) of the federal Clean Water Act for toxic pollutants and with standards for sewage sludge use or disposal established under § 405(d) of the federal 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 180 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 laws 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 federal Clean Water Act. Except as provided in permit conditions on "bypass" (Part III U) and "upset" (Part III 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 ensure efficient operation. These bypasses are not subject to the provisions of Parts III U 2 and U 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 III I (reports of noncompliance).

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 III 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 in Part III 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 III 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 III I; and

d. The permittee complied with any remedial measures required under Part III 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 ensuring permit compliance or as otherwise authorized by the federal 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.

1. Permits are not transferable to any person except after notice to the department. Except as provided in Part III Y 2, a permit may be transferred by the permittee to a new owner or operator only if the permit has been modified or revoked and reissued, or a minor modification made, to identify the new permittee and incorporate such other requirements as may be necessary under the State Water Control Law and the federal Clean Water Act.

2. As an alternative to transfers under Part III Y 1, this permit may be automatically transferred to a new permittee if:

a. The current permittee notifies the department at least 30 days in advance of the proposed transfer of the title to the facility or property;

b. 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

c. The board does not notify the existing permittee and the proposed new permittee of its intent to modify or revoke and reissue the permit. If this notice is not received, the transfer is effective on the date specified in the agreement mentioned in Part III Y 2 b.

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.

NOTICE: The forms used in administering the above regulation are not being published; however, the name of each form is listed below. The forms are available for public inspection by contacting the agency contact for this regulation, or at the office of the Registrar of Regulations, General Assembly Building, 2nd Floor, Richmond, Virginia.

FORMS (9VAC25-190)

Department of Environmental Quality Water Division Permit Application Fee (rev. 6/99) 1/08).

Local Government Ordinance Form (eff. 8/93).

Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System General Permit Registration Statement - Nonmetallic Mineral Mining.

Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System General Permit Notice of Termination for Nonmetallic Mineral Mining.

VA.R. Doc. No. R08-1057; Filed December 12, 2008, 3:36 p.m.