NPDES Permits in New England

Draft General Permit for Residually Designated Discharges in Milford, Bellingham, and Franklin, Massachusetts

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The Notice of Availability of the draft NPDES General Permit for Residually Designated Discharges in the Charles River Watershed within the municipalities of Milford, Bellingham and Franklin, Massachusetts and Notice of Availability of Proposed Amendments to the Preliminary Residual Designation issued by the Environmental Protection Agency-Region 1 (EPA) on November 12, 2008 was published in the Federal Register on April 20, 2010. EPA also published in the Federal Register and in local newspapers an announcement of a public comment period to run from April 20, 2010 until June 30, 2010. The period in which the public may submit comments has been extended until September 30, 2010. EPA will accept public comments on the draft permit and the proposed amendments to the preliminary residual designation submitted before midnight, September 30, 2010. EPA will be publishing a notice of this extension in the Federal Register and in local newspapers, and will update this website with these documents as they become available.

EPA is proposing the draft NPDES general permit for storm water discharges (designated discharges) in the Charles River watershed within Milford, Bellingham, and Franklin, Massachusetts, from sites that are proposed for final designation for NPDES permitting pursuant to EPA’s residual designation authority. The storm water discharges subject to the draft permit are proposed for final designation for NPDES permitting because EPA has determined that their control is necessary in order to reduce discharges of excessive phosphorus loadings that are contributing to violations of water quality standards in the Charles River.

The draft permit proposes a series of storm water control requirements, mostly in the form of Best Management Practices (BMPs). The proposed requirements including the development and implementation of a comprehensive Storm water Management Plan and a Phosphorus Reduction Plan that are intended to assure that storm water from a permittee’s designated discharge do not cause or contribute to violations of Massachusetts water quality standards.

Comments may be sent via USPS or email, to EPA at EPA-Region 1, Attn: Mark Voorhees (voorhees.mark@epa.gov), Office of Ecosystem Protection, 5 Post Office Square – Suite 100, Mail Code: OEP 06-4, Boston, Massachusetts 02109-3912.

Final Permit Decision

Following the close of the comment period, EPA will issue a final permit decision. In reaching a final decision on this draft permit, EPA will respond to all significant comments and make the responses available to the public. The final permit and response to comments will be posted on this website. The Notice of Availability of the final permit will be published in the Federal Register.

Preliminary Residual Designation

Preliminary Residual Designation for Charles River, dated Nov. 12 2008 (PDF) (28 pp, 272K)
Executive Summary of Preliminary Residual Designation for Charles River (PDF) (4 pp, 22K)
Federal Register Notice and Public Comment Opportunity on Preliminary Residual Designation: The public may comment during the eventual permit review process.

Proposed Amendments to the Preliminary Residual Designation

Proposed Amendments to the Preliminary Residual Designation for Charles River (PDF) (4 pp, 25K)

Federal Register Notice for Draft General Permit for Residually Designated Discharges in Milford, Bellingham, and Franklin, Massachusetts and for Proposed Amendments to the Preliminary Residual Designation

Federal Register Notice (PDF) (3 pp, 66K)

Draft General Permit for Residually Designated Discharges in Milford, Bellingham, and Franklin, Massachusetts

Draft General Permit (PDF) (23 pp, 71K)
Appendix A – Requirements for Notice of Intent (PDF) (8 pp, 28K)
Appendix B – Definition of Permit Terms (PDF) (7 pp, 32K)
Appendix C –Individual and Alternative Permits (PDF) (1 pg, 13K)
Appendix D – Phosphorus Reduction Requirement (PDF) (10 pp, 45K)
Appendix E –Eligibility Procedures Relating to Historic Properties Preservation (PDF) (5 pp, 35K)
Appendix F – Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination (PDF) (4 pp, 160K)
Appendix G –Standard Permit Conditions (PDF) (7 pp, 43K)
Fact Sheet (PDF) (54 pp, 265K)
Fact Sheet Attachment 1 - Preliminary Designation Record of Decision of November 12, 2008 (PDF) (28 pp, 266K)
Fact Sheet Attachment 2 - Antidegradation Findings (PDF) (9 pp, 54K)
Fact Sheet Attachment 3 - Basis for Phosphorus Reduction Requirement (PDF) (12 pp, 59K)
Fact Sheet Attachment 4 - Proposed Final Residual Designation Amendments (PDF) (4 pp, 21K)

Helpful Information and Links

EPA Contact

Mark Voorhees (voorhees.mark@epa.gov), 617-918-1537

Sustainable Stormwater Funding Project

In September 2010, EPA provided approximately $300,000 in funding to conduct an evaluation of sustainable stormwater funding options for the Upper Charles River communities of Bellingham, Franklin and Milford, Massachusetts. The objective of the sustainable funding project is to develop recommendations on integrated funding options for implementing and managing the requirements set forth in the Region 1 Administrator's preliminary decision that a more stringent small municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) general permit and a residual designation general permit to reduce stormwater discharges from industrial, commercial and large residential properties are necessary to meet the TMDL. As this project develops, interested members of the public can check this page to find the current status of the project, view summaries of project meetings notes and other documents, and review and provide comments, if any, on the draft and final project report. The project concluded on September 30, 2011 with receipt of the final report (below).

Project Work Assignment and Work Plan:
- Project Work Assignment (PDF) (9 pg, 99K)
- Project Workplan (PDF) (12 pp, 185K)
Meeting Agenda and Notes:
- Steering Committee Meeting #1 Agenda (October 20, 2010) (PDF) (1 pg, 24K)
- Steering Committee Meeting #1 Notes (October 20, 2010) (PDF) (2 pp, 126K)
- Steering Committee Meeting #2 Agenda (November 15, 2010) (PDF) (1 pg, 24K)
- Steering Committee Meeting #2 Notes (November 15, 2010) (PDF) (4 pp, 132K)
- Steering Committee Meeting #3 Agenda (February 9, 2011) (PDF) (1 pg, 19K)
- Steering Committee Meeting #3 Notes (February 9, 2011) (PDF) (4 pp, 136K)
- Steering Committee Meeting #4 Agenda (June 29, 2011) (PDF) (1 pg, 19K)
- Steering Committee Meeting #4 Notes (June 29, 2011) (PDF) (5 pp, 138K)
- Steering Committee Meeting #5 Agenda (September 12, 2011) (PDF) (1 pg, 19K)
- Steering Committee Meeting #5 Notes (September 12, 2011) (PDF) (3 pp, 132K)
Additional Project Information (presentations, correspondence, announcements):
- November 12, 2010 Letter from I495 Partnership, NAIOP and AIM (PDF) (3 pp, 250K)
- November 15, 2010 AMEC Presentation on Regional Stormwater Utilities (PDF) (5 pp, 433K)
- November 15, 2010 Horsley Witten Presentation on Sustainable Funding (PDF) (24 pp, 1.2MB)
- November 15, 2010 Horsley Witten Factsheet on Project Framework (PDF) (2 pp, 207K)
- December 6, 2010 MAPC Announcement for Bellingham – Funding Stormwater Management (PDF) (1 pg, 256K)
- December 6, 2010 MAPC Announcement for Franklin – Funding Stormwater Management (PDF) (1 pg, 257K)
- December 7, 2010 MAPC Announcement for Milford – Funding Stormwater Management (PDF) (1 pg, 256K)
- December 6-7, 2010 MAPC Presentation on Funding Stormwater Management (PDF) (30 pp, 1.8MB)
- February 9, 2011 Horsley Witten Presentation on Preliminary Cost Findings (PDF) (54 pp, 5.9MB)
- June 29, 2011 Horsley Witten/AMEC Presentation (PDF) (59 pp, 1.8MB)
- June 29, 2011 Bellingham Program Cost Data (PDF) (8 pp, 226K)
- June 29, 2011 Franklin Program Cost Data (PDF) (8 pp, 231K)
- June 29, 2011 Milford Program Cost Data (PDF) (8 pp, 198K)
- September 12, 2011 Horsley Witten Presentation on Draft Report (PDF) (34 pp, 2MB)
Helpful Information and Links:
- December 2004 – U.S. Army Corps – Draft Report on Aquatic Habitat Restoration of Milford Pond (PDF) (166 pp, 7MB)
- December 2004 – U.S. Army Corps – Draft Report Appendices (PDF) (282 pp, 8.5MB)
- July 2007 – U.S. Army Corps – Milford Pond Aquatic Habitat Restoration Project – Construction Solicitation and Specifications (PDF) (126 pp, 3.9MB)
- Stormwater Management Plan for Spruce Pond Brook Subwatershed (PDF) (54 pp, 10.8MB)
- November 2007 – ECONorthwest – LID Economics Literature Review (PDF) (40 pp, 429K)
- October 2008 - ECONorthwest – The Economics of LID (PDF) (5 pp, 4.9MB)
- November 2008 - ECONorthwest – Cost Benefit Evaluation of Ecoroofs (PDF) (42 pp, 2.8MB)
- 2009 - ECONorthwest – Using Incentives to Promote Green Stormwater Practices (PDF) (21 pp, 5MB)
- June 2010 – Western Kentucky University Stormwater Utility Survey (PDF) (46 pp, 2.4MB)
- December 2010 - MAPC Stormwater Funding Resource Guide (PDF) (15 pp, 625K)
- 2010 Black and Veatch Stormwater Utility Survey (PDF) (18 pp, 2.8MB)
- April 2009 – EPA Fact Sheet: Funding Stormwater Programs (PDF) (6 pp, 309K)
- EPA New England Low Impact Development webpage
- Bellingham, Massachusetts
- Franklin, Massachusetts
- Milford, Massachusetts
- 495 / Metrowest Partnership
- Metropolitan Area Planning Counsel
Report on Sustainable Stormwater Funding Project:
Fact Sheet

Four (4) page fact sheet summarizing the final report for the general public (PDF) (4 pp, 934K)

Project Contact:
Ray Cody (cody.ray@epa.gov), 617-918-1366

Serving Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, & 10 Tribal Nations

Draft General Permit for Residually Designated Discharges in Milford, Bellingham, and Franklin, Massachusetts

Sustainable Stormwater Funding Project

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