Ocean Era, Inc. – Velella Epsilon Aquatic Animal Production Facility National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit

On May 15, 2025, the EPA made a final decision to modify a NPDES permit to Ocean Era, Inc. for a marine aquaculture facility in federal waters of the Gulf of America. The below documents support the issuance of the modified NPDES permit and are a part of the administrative record.

Final Permit (pdf) (702.78 KB, 05/15/2025)
Final Modified NEDES Permit for Ocean Era Effective 05-15-25
Final Fact Sheet (pdf) (211.78 KB, 05/15/2025)
Ocean Era - Final Modified Fact Sheet 05-15-25
Appeal Procedures (pdf) (123.34 KB)
Appealing NPDES Permits | U.S. EPA Region 4
Response to Comments (pdf) (539.75 KB, 05/15/2025)
Response to Significant Comments for NEDES Modified Permit for Ocean Era
Application for Modified Permit (pdf) (2.05 MB)
EPA Form 3510-2B
Ocean Era - Final Modification Determination Memo (pdf) (6.45 MB, 05-15-2025)
Ocean Era - Final Modification Determination Memo 05-15-25
Fact Sheet for 2022 Permit – Ocean Era, Inc. – Velella Epsilon (FL0A00001) (pdf) (299.47 KB)
Final Fact Sheet for 2022 Ocean Era Permit
Ocean Era, Inc. – Velella Epsilon Environmental Assessment (EA) including Essential Fish Habitat Assessment, Baseline Environmental Survey, and Ocean Discharge Criteria Evaluation (pdf) (28.53 MB)
Ocean Era - Final Environmental Assessment
Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) – Ocean Era, Inc. – Velella Epsilon (pdf) (122.25 KB)
NEPA finding of no significant impact for Ocean Era NPDES permit
Biological Evaluation – Ocean Era, Inc. – Velella Epsilon (pdf) (1.87 MB)
Final Biological Evaluation
Essential Fish Habitat Assessment (pdf) (945.19 KB)
Final Essential Fish Habitat Assessment for Ocean Era NPDES permit
Ocean Discharge Criteria Evaluation (pdf) (2.89 MB)
Final Ocean Era - Ocean Discharge Criteria Evaluation
Response to Comments for 2022 Permit – Ocean Era, Inc. – Velella Epsilon (pdf) (795.7 KB)
Final Ocean Era - Response to Comments for 2022 Permit