NPDES Permits in New England
Small MS4 General Permit Update
(May 13, 2013)
2013 Small MS4 General Permits
EPA has revised the 2008 New Hampshire draft small MS4 general permit and the new 2013 draft small MS4 general permit for New Hampshire was published in the Federal Register on February 12, 2013. The public comment period is from February 12, 2013 to August 15, 2013. EPA is currently revising the two draft Massachusetts draft permits and anticipates re-issuing a single new draft permit for all Massachusetts watersheds in 2013. A Notice of Availability for the new draft MS4 general permit for Massachusetts will be published in the Federal Register as well as information about any scheduled public meetings or hearings. This webpage will be updated with the Federal Register publication dates once available.
Provided below is additional information and a brief chronology for each of the draft permits for Stormwater Discharges from Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s) in New Hampshire and Massachusetts:
New Hampshire
- State of New Hampshire: The 2013 draft New Hampshire small general permit is available on EPA's "Draft New Hampshire Small MS4 General Permit" webpage. The notice of availability of the draft New Hampshire small MS4 general permit was published in the Federal Register and was available for public comment on February 12, 2013. EPA held a public hearing on March 14, 2013. For more information on the 2013 draft general permit, public meeting and public hearing information as well as information on the previous draft general permit (2008 draft general permit) see: http://www.epa.gov/region1/npdes/stormwater/MS4_2013_NH.html
Massachusetts
- North Coastal Watershed: The 2010 Draft Massachusetts North Coastal small MS4 general permit is available on EPA's "Draft Massachusetts North Coastal Small MS4 General Permit" webpage. The Draft Massachusetts North Coastal Small MS4 General Permit was published in the Federal Register and was available for public comment on February 4, 2010. EPA held a public hearing for the draft permit on March 18, 2010 and the public comment period ended March 31, 2010.
- Interstate, Merrimack and South Coastal Watersheds (IMS): The 2010 Draft Massachusetts Interstate, Merrimack and South Coastal Watersheds small MS4 general permit is available on EPA's "Draft Massachusetts Interstate, Merrimack and South Coastal Small MS4 General Permit" webpage and is accessible through EPA 1's NPDES Storm Water Permit Program webpage. The Draft Massachusetts Interstate, Merrimack and South Coastal Watersheds small MS4 general permit was published in the Federal Register and was available for public comment on February 15, 2011. EPA held a public meeting for the draft permit on March 9, 2011 and the public comment period ended March 11, 2011. Please note that the municipalities listed below should have been included in Appendix C "Areas Covered by this Permit" in the 2010 Draft Massachusetts Interstate, Merrimack and South Coastal small MS4 general permit. An updated list will be provided in the final issuance of the permit.
- Cape Cod - USCG Air Station Cape Cod
- Fall River
- Falmouth
- Fitchburg
- Framingham
- Freetown
- Gardner
- Grafton
- Granby
- Groton
- Groveland
- Hadley
- Halifax
- Hampden
- Hanover
- Hanson
- Hyannis
- Townsend
- Tyngsborough
- Upton
- Uxbridge
- West Boylston
- Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT): EPA anticipates issuing a separate individual small MS4 permit for MassDOT with a draft available in 2013.
Anyone who wishes to receive information regarding a draft general permit should send their contact information to Glenda Velez (velez.glenda@epa.gov) with "Draft MS4 Information Request" indicated in the subject line.
The effective date of each final general permit will be no sooner than the date the final permit is signed and made publicly available. To obtain coverage, Operators will be required to submit a new Notice of Intent (NOI) for the permit for which they are eligible. EPA anticipates that NOIs will be due ninety (90) days after the effective date of each final permit.
The draft small MS4 general permits released to date include the same six minimum control measures as the 2003 MS4 general permit in addition to provisions to protect water quality standards. To improve the effectiveness of stormwater management programs and reduce the adverse effects of stormwater runoff on receiving waters, these draft permits include:
- enhanced illicit discharge detection and elimination (IDDE) requirements to identify, isolate and remove sanitary and other wastes from the stormwater system;
- water quality monitoring of stormwater discharges;
- encouragement of low impact development and green infrastructure techniques; and
- requirements designed to implement approved total maximum daily load (TMDL) waste load allocations (WLAs).
2003 Small MS4 General Permit
The 2003 Small MS4 General Permit expired May 1, 2008 but has been administratively continued.
Operators covered by the 2003 Small MS4 General Permit will remain covered until EPA authorizes their MS4 discharges under a new permit or otherwise revokes permit authorization.
Operators covered by the 2003 Small MS4 General Permit will remain covered until EPA authorizes their MS4 discharges under a new permit or otherwise revokes permit authorization.
The conditions and reporting requirements of the 2003 Small MS4 General Permit remains fully effective and enforceable until the effective date of a new permit.
Until authorized under a new permit, Operators authorized under the 2003 Small MS4 General Permit are required to submit annual reports by May 1 each year pursuant to Parts II.F, III.F, IV.F or V.F of the 2003 Permit. Ninth-year annual reports were due by May 1, 2012.
Questions
2012 Small MS4 General Permit Reissuance
Thelma Murphy (murphy.thelma@epa.gov): (617) 918-1615
2003 Small MS4 General Permit Annual Reporting
Newton Tedder (tedder.newton@epa.gov): (617) 918-1038
2003 Small MS4 Permit Compliance
Andrew Spejewski (spejewski.andrew@epa.gov): (617) 918-1014