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(continued)

(ii) Your program must include the development and implementation of, at a minimum:

(A) An ordinance or other regulatory mechanism to require erosion and sediment controls, as well as sanctions to ensure compliance, to the extent allowable under State, Tribal, or local law;

(B) Requirements for construction site operators to implement appropriate erosion and sediment control best management practices;

(C) Requirements for construction site operators to control waste such as discarded building materials, concrete truck washout, chemicals, litter, and sanitary waste at the construction site that may cause adverse impacts to water quality;

(D) Procedures for site plan review which incorporate consideration of potential water quality impacts;

(E) Procedures for receipt and consideration of information submitted by the public, and

(F) Procedures for site inspection and enforcement of control measures.

(iii) Guidance: Examples of sanctions to ensure compliance include non-monetary penalties, fines, bonding requirements and/or permit denials for non-compliance. EPA recommends that procedures for site plan review include the review of individual pre-construction site plans to ensure consistency with local sediment and erosion control requirements. Procedures for site inspections and enforcement of control measures could include steps to identify priority sites for inspection and enforcement based on the nature of the construction activity, topography, and the characteristics of soils and receiving water quality. You are encouraged to provide appropriate educational and training measures for construction site operators. You may wish to require a storm water pollution prevention plan for construction sites within your jurisdiction that discharge into your system. See §122.44(s) (NPDES permitting authorities' option to incorporate qualifying State, Tribal and local erosion and sediment control programs into NPDES permits for storm water discharges from construction sites). Also see §122.35(b) (The NPDES permitting authority may recognize that another government entity, including the permitting authority, may be responsible for implementing one or more of the minimum measures on your behalf.)

(5) Post-construction storm water management in new development and redevelopment. (i) You must develop, implement, and enforce a program to address storm water runoff from new development and redevelopment projects that disturb greater than or equal to one acre, including projects less than one acre that are part of a larger common plan of development or sale, that discharge into your small MS4. Your program must ensure that controls are in place that would prevent or minimize water quality impacts.

(ii) You must:

(A) Develop and implement strategies which include a combination of structural and/or non-structural best management practices (BMPs) appropriate for your community;

(B) Use an ordinance or other regulatory mechanism to address post-construction runoff from new development and redevelopment projects to the extent allowable under State, Tribal or local law; and

(C) Ensure adequate long-term operation and maintenance of BMPs.

(iii) Guidance: If water quality impacts are considered from the beginning stages of a project, new development and potentially redevelopment provide more opportunities for water quality protection. EPA recommends that the BMPs chosen: be appropriate for the local community; minimize water quality impacts; and attempt to maintain pre-development runoff conditions. In choosing appropriate BMPs, EPA encourages you to participate in locally-based watershed planning efforts which attempt to involve a diverse group of stakeholders including interested citizens. When developing a program that is consistent with this measure's intent, EPA recommends that you adopt a planning process that identifies the municipality's program goals (e.g., minimize water quality impacts resulting from post-construction runoff from new development and redevelopment), implementation strategies (e.g., adopt a combination of structural and/or non-structural BMPs), operation and maintenance policies and procedures, and enforcement procedures. In developing your program, you should consider assessing existing ordinances, policies, programs and studies that address storm water runoff quality. In addition to assessing these existing documents and programs, you should provide opportunities to the public to participate in the development of the program. Non-structural BMPs are preventative actions that involve management and source controls such as: policies and ordinances that provide requirements and standards to direct growth to identified areas, protect sensitive areas such as wetlands and riparian areas, maintain and/or increase open space (including a dedicated funding source for open space acquisition), provide buffers along sensitive water bodies, minimize impervious surfaces, and minimize disturbance of soils and vegetation; policies or ordinances that encourage infill development in higher density urban areas, and areas with existing infrastructure; education programs for developers and the public about project designs that minimize water quality impacts; and measures such as minimization of percent impervious area after development and minimization of directly connected impervious areas. Structural BMPs include: storage practices such as wet ponds and extended-detention outlet structures; filtration practices such as grassed swales, sand filters and filter strips; and infiltration practices such as infiltration basins and infiltration trenches. EPA recommends that you ensure the appropriate implementation of the structural BMPs by considering some or all of the following: pre-construction review of BMP designs; inspections during construction to verify BMPs are built as designed; post-construction inspection and maintenance of BMPs; and penalty provisions for the noncompliance with design, construction or operation and maintenance. Storm water technologies are constantly being improved, and EPA recommends that your requirements be responsive to these changes, developments or improvements in control technologies.

(6) Pollution prevention/good housekeeping for municipal operations. (i) You must develop and implement an operation and maintenance program that includes a training component and has the ultimate goal of preventing or reducing pollutant runoff from municipal operations. Using training materials that are available from EPA, your State, Tribe, or other organizations, your program must include employee training to prevent and reduce storm water pollution from activities such as park and open space maintenance, fleet and building maintenance, new construction and land disturbances, and storm water system maintenance.

(ii) Guidance: EPA recommends that, at a minimum, you consider the following in developing your program: maintenance activities, maintenance schedules, and long-term inspection procedures for structural and non-structural storm water controls to reduce floatables and other pollutants discharged from your separate storm sewers; controls for reducing or eliminating the discharge of pollutants from streets, roads, highways, municipal parking lots, maintenance and storage yards, fleet or maintenance shops with outdoor storage areas, salt/sand storage locations and snow disposal areas operated by you, and waste transfer stations; procedures for properly disposing of waste removed from the separate storm sewers and areas listed above (such as dredge spoil, accumulated sediments, floatables, and other debris); and ways to ensure that new flood management projects assess the impacts on water quality and examine existing projects for incorporating additional water quality protection devices or practices. Operation and maintenance should be an integral component of all storm water management programs. This measure is intended to improve the efficiency of these programs and require new programs where necessary. Properly developed and implemented operation and maintenance programs reduce the risk of water quality problems.

(c) If an existing qualifying local program requires you to implement one or more of the minimum control measures of paragraph (b) of this section, the NPDES permitting authority may include conditions in your NPDES permit that direct you to follow that qualifying program's requirements rather than the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section. A qualifying local program is a local, State or Tribal municipal storm water management program that imposes, at a minimum, the relevant requirements of paragraph (b) of this section.

(d)(1) In your permit application (either a notice of intent for coverage under a general permit or an individual permit application), you must identify and submit to your NPDES permitting authority the following information:

(i) The best management practices (BMPs) that you or another entity will implement for each of the storm water minimum control measures at paragraphs (b)(1) through (b)(6) of this section;

(ii) The measurable goals for each of the BMPs including, as appropriate, the months and years in which you will undertake required actions, including interim milestones and the frequency of the action; and

(iii) The person or persons responsible for implementing or coordinating your storm water management program.

(2) If you obtain coverage under a general permit, you are not required to meet any measurable goal(s) identified in your notice of intent in order to demonstrate compliance with the minimum control measures in paragraphs (b)(3) through (b)(6) of this section unless, prior to submitting your NOI, EPA or your State or Tribe has provided or issued a menu of BMPs that addresses each such minimum measure. Even if no regulatory authority issues the menu of BMPs, however, you still must comply with other requirements of the general permit, including good faith implementation of BMPs designed to comply with the minimum measures.

(3) Guidance: Either EPA or your State or Tribal permitting authority will provide a menu of BMPs. You may choose BMPs from the menu or select others that satisfy the minimum control measures.

(e)(1) You must comply with any more stringent effluent limitations in your permit, including permit requirements that modify, or are in addition to, the minimum control measures based on an approved total maximum daily load (TMDL) or equivalent analysis. The permitting authority may include such more stringent limitations based on a TMDL or equivalent analysis that determines such limitations are needed to protect water quality.

(2) Guidance: EPA strongly recommends that until the evaluation of the storm water program in §122.37, no additional requirements beyond the minimum control measures be imposed on regulated small MS4s without the agreement of the operator of the affected small MS4, except where an approved TMDL or equivalent analysis provides adequate information to develop more specific measures to protect water quality.

(f) You must comply with other applicable NPDES permit requirements, standards and conditions established in the individual or general permit, developed consistent with the provisions of §§122.41 through 122.49, as appropriate.

(g) Evaluation and assessment—(1) Evaluation. You must evaluate program compliance, the appropriateness of your identified best management practices, and progress towards achieving your identified measurable goals.

Note to paragraph (g)(1): The NPDES permitting authority may determine monitoring requirements for you in accordance with State/Tribal monitoring plans appropriate to your watershed. Participation in a group monitoring program is encouraged.

(2) Recordkeeping. You must keep records required by the NPDES permit for at least 3 years. You must submit your records to the NPDES permitting authority only when specifically asked to do so. You must make your records, including a description of your storm water management program, available to the public at reasonable times during regular business hours (see §122.7 for confidentiality provision). (You may assess a reasonable charge for copying. You may require a member of the public to provide advance notice.)

(3) Reporting. Unless you are relying on another entity to satisfy your NPDES permit obligations under §122.35(a), you must submit annual reports to the NPDES permitting authority for your first permit term. For subsequent permit terms, you must submit reports in year two and four unless the NPDES permitting authority requires more frequent reports. Your report must include:

(i) The status of compliance with permit conditions, an assessment of the appropriateness of your identified best management practices and progress towards achieving your identified measurable goals for each of the minimum control measures;

(ii) Results of information collected and analyzed, including monitoring data, if any, during the reporting period;

(iii) A summary of the storm water activities you plan to undertake during the next reporting cycle;

(iv) A change in any identified best management practices or measurable goals for any of the minimum control measures; and

(v) Notice that you are relying on another governmental entity to satisfy some of your permit obligations (if applicable).

[64 FR 68843, Dec. 8, 1999]

§ 122.35 As an operator of a regulated small MS4, may I share the responsibility to implement the minimum control measures with other entities?
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(a) You may rely on another entity to satisfy your NPDES permit obligations to implement a minimum control measure if:

(1) The other entity, in fact, implements the control measure;

(2) The particular control measure, or component thereof, is at least as stringent as the corresponding NPDES permit requirement; and

(3) The other entity agrees to implement the control measure on your behalf. In the reports you must submit under §122.34(g)(3), you must also specify that you rely on another entity to satisfy some of your permit obligations. If you are relying on another governmental entity regulated under section 122 to satisfy all of your permit obligations, including your obligation to file periodic reports required by §122.34(g)(3), you must note that fact in your NOI, but you are not required to file the periodic reports. You remain responsible for compliance with your permit obligations if the other entity fails to implement the control measure (or component thereof). Therefore, EPA encourages you to enter into a legally binding agreement with that entity if you want to minimize any uncertainty about compliance with your permit.

(b) In some cases, the NPDES permitting authority may recognize, either in your individual NPDES permit or in an NPDES general permit, that another governmental entity is responsible under an NPDES permit for implementing one or more of the minimum control measures for your small MS4 or that the permitting authority itself is responsible. Where the permitting authority does so, you are not required to include such minimum control measure(s) in your storm water management program. (For example, if a State or Tribe is subject to an NPDES permit that requires it to administer a program to control construction site runoff at the State or Tribal level and that program satisfies all of the requirements of §122.34(b)(4), you could avoid responsibility for the construction measure, but would be responsible for the remaining minimum control measures.) Your permit may be reopened and modified to include the requirement to implement a minimum control measure if the entity fails to implement it.

[64 FR 68846, Dec. 8, 1999]

§ 122.36 As an operator of a regulated small MS4, what happens if I don't comply with the application or permit requirements in §§122.33 through 122.35?
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NPDES permits are federally enforceable. Violators may be subject to the enforcement actions and penalties described in Clean Water Act sections 309 (b), (c), and (g) and 505, or under applicable State, Tribal, or local law. Compliance with a permit issued pursuant to section 402 of the Clean Water Act is deemed compliance, for purposes of sections 309 and 505, with sections 301, 302, 306, 307, and 403, except any standard imposed under section 307 for toxic pollutants injurious to human health. If you are covered as a co-permittee under an individual permit or under a general permit by means of a joint Notice of Intent you remain subject to the enforcement actions and penalties for the failure to comply with the terms of the permit in your jurisdiction except as set forth in §122.35(b).

[64 FR 68847, Dec. 8, 1999]

§ 122.37 Will the small MS4 storm water program regulations at §§122.32 through 122.36 and §123.35 of this chapter change in the future?
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EPA will evaluate the small MS4 regulations at §§122.32 through 122.36 and §123.35 of this chapter after December 10, 2012 and make any necessary revisions. (EPA intends to conduct an enhanced research effort and compile a comprehensive evaluation of the NPDES MS4 storm water program. EPA will re-evaluate the regulations based on data from the NPDES MS4 storm water program, from research on receiving water impacts from storm water, and the effectiveness of best management practices (BMPs), as well as other relevant information sources.)

[64 FR 68847, Dec. 8, 1999]

Subpart C—Permit Conditions
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§ 122.41 Conditions applicable to all permits (applicable to State programs, see §123.25).
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The following conditions apply to all NPDES permits. Additional conditions applicable to NPDES permits are in §122.42. All conditions applicable to NPDES permits shall be incorporated into the permits either expressly or by reference. If incorporated by reference, a specific citation to these regulations (or the corresponding approved State regulations) must be given in the permit.

(a) Duty to comply. The permittee must comply with all conditions of this permit. Any permit noncompliance constitutes a violation of the Clean Water Act and is grounds for enforcement action; for permit termination, revocation and reissuance, or modification; or denial of a permit renewal application.

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

(2) The Clean Water Act provides that any person who violates section 301, 302, 306, 307, 308, 318 or 405 of the Act, or any permit condition or limitation implementing any such sections in a permit issued under section 402, or any requirement imposed in a pretreatment program approved under sections 402(a)(3) or 402(b)(8) of the Act, is subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $25,000 per day for each violation. The Clean Water Act provides that any person who negligently violates sections 301, 302, 306, 307, 308, 318, or 405 of the Act, or any condition or limitation implementing any of such sections in a permit issued under section 402 of the Act, or any requirement imposed in a pretreatment program approved under section 402(a)(3) or 402(b)(8) of the Act, is subject to criminal penalties of $2,500 to $25,000 per day of violation, or imprisonment of not more than 1 year, or both. In the case of a second or subsequent conviction for a negligent violation, a person shall be subject to criminal penalties of not more than $50,000 per day of violation, or by imprisonment of not more than 2 years, or both. Any person who knowingly violates such sections, or such conditions or limitations is subject to criminal penalties of $5,000 to $50,000 per day of violation, or imprisonment for not more than 3 years, or both. In the case of a second or subsequent conviction for a knowing violation, a person shall be subject to criminal penalties of not more than $100,000 per day of violation, or imprisonment of not more than 6 years, or both. Any person who knowingly violates section 301, 302, 303, 306, 307, 308, 318 or 405 of the Act, or any permit condition or limitation implementing any of such sections in a permit issued under section 402 of the Act, and who knows at that time that he thereby places another person in imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury, shall, upon conviction, be subject to a fine of not more than $250,000 or imprisonment of not more than 15 years, or both. In the case of a second or subsequent conviction for a knowing endangerment violation, a person shall be subject to a fine of not more than $500,000 or by imprisonment of not more than 30 years, or both. An organization, as defined in section 309(c)(3)(B)(iii) of the CWA, shall, upon conviction of violating the imminent danger provision, be subject to a fine of not more than $1,000,000 and can be fined up to $2,000,000 for second or subsequent convictions.

(3) Any person may be assessed an administrative penalty by the Administrator for violating section 301, 302, 306, 307, 308, 318 or 405 of this Act, or any permit condition or limitation implementing any of such sections in a permit issued under section 402 of this Act. Administrative penalties for Class I violations are not to exceed $10,000 per violation, with the maximum amount of any Class I penalty assessed not to exceed $25,000. Penalties for Class II violations are not to exceed $10,000 per day for each day during which the violation continues, with the maximum amount of any Class II penalty not to exceed $125,000.

(b) Duty to reapply. If the permittee wishes to continue an activity regulated by this permit after the expiration date of this permit, the permittee must apply for and obtain a new permit.

(c) 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.

(d) 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.

(e) 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 adequate laboratory controls and appropriate quality assurance procedures. This provision requires the operation of back-up or auxiliary facilities or similar systems which are installed by a permittee only when the operation is necessary to achieve compliance with the conditions of the permit.

(f) Permit actions. This permit 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.

(g) Property rights. This permit does not convey any property rights of any sort, or any exclusive privilege.

(h) Duty to provide information. The permittee shall furnish to the Director, within a reasonable time, any information which the Director may request to determine whether cause exists for modifying, revoking and reissuing, or terminating this permit or to determine compliance with this permit. The permittee shall also furnish to the Director upon request, copies of records required to be kept by this permit.

(i) Inspection and entry. The permittee shall allow the Director, or an authorized representative (including an authorized contractor acting as a representative of the Administrator), upon presentation of credentials and other documents as may be required by law, to:

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

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

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

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

(j) Monitoring and records. (1) Samples and measurements taken for the purpose of monitoring shall be representative of the monitored activity.

(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 (or longer as required by 40 CFR part 503), 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 application for this permit, for a period of at least 3 years from the date of the sample, measurement, report or application. This period may be extended by request of the Director at any time.

(3) Records of monitoring information shall include:

(i) The date, exact place, and time of sampling or measurements;

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

(iii) The date(s) analyses were performed;

(iv) The individual(s) who performed the analyses;

(v) The analytical techniques or methods used; and

(vi) The results of such analyses.

(4) Monitoring results must be conducted according to test procedures approved under 40 CFR part 136 or, in the case of sludge use or disposal, approved under 40 CFR part 136 unless otherwise specified in 40 CFR part 503, unless other test procedures have been specified in the permit.

(5) The Clean Water Act provides that any person who falsifies, tampers with, or knowingly renders inaccurate any monitoring device or method required to be maintained under this permit shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not more than $10,000, or by imprisonment for not more than 2 years, or both. If a conviction of a person is for a violation committed after a first conviction of such person under this paragraph, punishment is a fine of not more than $20,000 per day of violation, or by imprisonment of not more than 4 years, or both.

(k) Signatory requirement. (1) All applications, reports, or information submitted to the Director shall be signed and certified. (See §122.22)

(2) The CWA provides that any person who knowingly makes any false statement, representation, or certification in any record or other document submitted or required to be maintained under this permit, including monitoring reports or reports of compliance or non-compliance shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not more than $10,000 per violation, or by imprisonment for not more than 6 months per violation, or by both.

(l) Reporting requirements—(1) Planned changes. The permittee shall give notice to the Director as soon as possible of any planned physical alterations or additions to the permitted facility. Notice is required only when:

(i) The alteration or addition to a permitted facility may meet one of the criteria for determining whether a facility is a new source in §122.29(b); or

(ii) 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 in the permit, nor to notification requirements under §122.42(a)(1).

(iii) 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) Anticipated noncompliance. The permittee shall give advance notice to the Director of any planned changes in the permitted facility or activity which may result in noncompliance with permit requirements.

(3) Transfers. This permit is not transferable to any person except after notice to the Director. The Director may require modification or revocation and reissuance of the permit to change the name of the permittee and incorporate such other requirements as may be necessary under the Clean Water Act. (See §122.61; in some cases, modification or revocation and reissuance is mandatory.)

(4) Monitoring reports. Monitoring results shall be reported at the intervals specified elsewhere in this permit.

(i) Monitoring results must be reported on a Discharge Monitoring Report (DMR) or forms provided or specified by the Director for reporting results of monitoring of sludge use or disposal practices.

(ii) If the permittee monitors any pollutant more frequently than required by the permit using test procedures approved under 40 CFR part 136 or, in the case of sludge use or disposal, approved under 40 CFR part 136 unless otherwise specified in 40 CFR part 503, or as specified in the permit, the results of this monitoring shall be included in the calculation and reporting of the data submitted in the DMR or sludge reporting form specified by the Director.

(iii) Calculations for all limitations which require averaging of measurements shall utilize an arithmetic mean unless otherwise specified by the Director in the permit.

(5) Compliance schedules. 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.

(6) Twenty-four hour reporting. (i) The permittee shall report any noncompliance which may endanger health or the environment. Any information shall be provided orally within 24 hours from the time the permittee becomes aware of the circumstances. A written submission shall also be provided within 5 days of the time the permittee becomes aware of the circumstances. The written submission shall contain a description of the noncompliance and its cause; 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 steps taken or planned to reduce, eliminate, and prevent reoccurrence of the noncompliance.

(ii) The following shall be included as information which must be reported within 24 hours under this paragraph.

(A) Any unanticipated bypass which exceeds any effluent limitation in the permit. (See §122.41(g).

(B) Any upset which exceeds any effluent limitation in the permit.

(C) Violation of a maximum daily discharge limitation for any of the pollutants listed by the Director in the permit to be reported within 24 hours. (See §122.44(g).)

(iii) The Director may waive the written report on a case-by-case basis for reports under paragraph (l)(6)(ii) of this section if the oral report has been received within 24 hours.

(7) Other noncompliance. The permittee shall report all instances of noncompliance not reported under paragraphs (l) (4), (5), and (6) of this section, at the time monitoring reports are submitted. The reports shall contain the information listed in paragraph (l)(6) of this section.

(8) Other information. Where the permittee becomes aware that it failed to submit any relevant facts in a permit application, or submitted incorrect information in a permit application or in any report to the Director, it shall promptly submit such facts or information.

(m) Bypass—(1) Definitions. (i) Bypass means the intentional diversion of waste streams from any portion of a treatment facility.

(ii) Severe property damage means substantial physical damage to property, damage to the treatment facilities which causes them to become inoperable, or substantial and permanent loss of natural resources which can reasonably be expected to occur in the absence of a bypass. Severe property damage does not mean economic loss caused by delays in production.

(2) Bypass not exceeding limitations. The permittee may allow any bypass to occur which does not cause effluent limitations to be exceeded, but only if it also is for essential maintenance to assure efficient operation. These bypasses are not subject to the provisions of paragraphs (m)(3) and (m)(4) of this section.

(3) Notice—(i) Anticipated bypass. If the permittee knows in advance of the need for a bypass, it shall submit prior notice, if possible at least ten days before the date of the bypass.

(ii) Unanticipated bypass. The permittee shall submit notice of an unanticipated bypass as required in paragraph (l)(6) of this section (24-hour notice).

(4) Prohibition of bypass. (i) Bypass is prohibited, and the Director may take enforcement action against a permittee for bypass, unless:

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

(B) 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

(C) The permittee submitted notices as required under paragraph (m)(3) of this section.

(ii) The Director may approve an anticipated bypass, after considering its adverse effects, if the Director determines that it will meet the three conditions listed above in paragraph (m)(4)(i) of this section.

(n) Upset—(1) Definition. Upset means an exceptional incident in which there is unintentional and temporary noncompliance with technology based permit effluent limitations because of factors beyond the reasonable control of the permittee. An upset does not include noncompliance to the extent caused by operational error, improperly designed treatment facilities, inadequate treatment facilities, lack of preventive maintenance, or careless or improper operation.

(2) Effect of an upset. An upset constitutes an affirmative defense to an action brought for noncompliance with such technology based permit effluent limitations if the requirements of paragraph (n)(3) of this section are met. No determination made during administrative review of claims that noncompliance was caused by upset, and before an action for noncompliance, is final administrative action subject to judicial review.

(3) Conditions necessary for a demonstration of upset. A permittee who wishes to establish the affirmative defense of upset shall demonstrate, through properly signed, contemporaneous operating logs, or other relevant evidence that:

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

(ii) The permitted facility was at the time being properly operated; and

(iii) The permittee submitted notice of the upset as required in paragraph (1)(6)(ii)(B) of this section (24 hour notice).

(iv) The permittee complied with any remedial measures required under paragraph (d) of this section.

(4) Burden of proof. In any enforcement proceeding the permittee seeking to establish the occurrence of an upset has the burden of proof.

(Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.), Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300f et seq.), Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.), Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (42 U.S.C. 6901 et seq.))

[48 FR 14153, Apr. 1, 1983, as amended at 48 FR 39620, Sept. 1, 1983; 49 FR 38049, Sept. 26, 1984; 50 FR 4514, Jan. 31, 1985; 50 FR 6940, Feb. 19, 1985; 54 FR 255, Jan. 4, 1989; 54 FR 18783, May 2, 1989; 65 FR 30908, May 15, 2000]

§ 122.42 Additional conditions applicable to specified categories of NPDES permits (applicable to State NPDES programs, see §123.25).
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The following conditions, in addition to those set forth in §122.41, apply to all NPDES permits within the categories specified below:

(a) Existing manufacturing, commercial, mining, and silvicultural dischargers. In addition to the reporting requirements under §122.41(1), all existing manufacturing, commercial, mining, and silvicultural dischargers must notify the Director as soon as they know or have reason to believe:

(1) 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 the permit, if that discharge will exceed the highest of the following “notification levels”:

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

(ii) 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;

(iii) Five (5) times the maximum concentration value reported for that pollutant in the permit application in accordance with §122.21(g)(7); or

(iv) The level established by the Director in accordance with §122.44(f).

(2) That any activity has occurred or will occur which would result in any discharge, on a non-routine or infrequent basis, of a toxic pollutant which is not limited in the permit, if that discharge will exceed the highest of the following “notification levels”:

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

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

(iii) Ten (10) times the maximum concentration value reported for that pollutant in the permit application in accordance with §122.21(g)(7).

(iv) The level established by the Director in accordance with §122.44(f).

(b) Publicly owned treatment works. All POTWs must provide adequate notice to the Director of the following:

(1) Any new introduction of pollutants into the POTW from an indirect discharger which would be subject to section 301 or 306 of CWA if it were directly discharging those pollutants; and

(2) Any substantial change in the volume or character of pollutants being introduced into that POTW by a source introducing pollutants into the POTW at the time of issuance of the permit.

(3) For purposes of this paragraph, adequate notice shall include information on (i) the quality and quantity of effluent introduced into the POTW, and (ii) any anticipated impact of the change on the quantity or quality of effluent to be discharged from the POTW.

(c) Municipal separate storm sewer systems. The operator of a large or medium municipal separate storm sewer system or a municipal separate storm sewer that has been designated by the Director under §122.26(a)(1)(v) of this part must submit an annual report by the anniversary of the date of the issuance of the permit for such system. The report shall include:

(1) The status of implementing the components of the storm water management program that are established as permit conditions;

(2) Proposed changes to the storm water management programs that are established as permit condition. Such proposed changes shall be consistent with §122.26(d)(2)(iii) of this part; and

(3) Revisions, if necessary, to the assessment of controls and the fiscal analysis reported in the permit application under §122.26(d)(2)(iv) and (d)(2)(v) of this part;

(4) A summary of data, including monitoring data, that is accumulated throughout the reporting year;

(5) Annual expenditures and budget for year following each annual report;

(6) A summary describing the number and nature of enforcement actions, inspections, and public education programs;

(7) Identification of water quality improvements or degradation;

(d) Storm water discharges. The initial permits for discharges composed entirely of storm water issued pursuant to §122.26(e)(7) of this part shall require compliance with the conditions of the permit as expeditiously as practicable, but in no event later than three years after the date of issuance of the permit.

(e) Concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). Any permit issued to a CAFO must include:

(1) Requirements to develop and implement a nutrient management plan. At a minimum, a nutrient management plan must include best management practices and procedures necessary to implement applicable effluent limitations and standards. Permitted CAFOs must have their nutrient management plans developed and implemented by July 31, 2007. CAFOs that seek to obtain coverage under a permit after July 31, 2007, must have a nutrient management plan developed and implemented upon the date of permit coverage. The nutrient management plan must, to the extent applicable:

(i) Ensure adequate storage of manure, litter, and process wastewater, including procedures to ensure proper operation and maintenance of the storage facilities;

(ii) Ensure proper management of mortalities (i.e., dead animals) to ensure that they are not disposed of in a liquid manure, storm water, or process wastewater storage or treatment system that is not specifically designed to treat animal mortalities;

(iii) Ensure that clean water is diverted, as appropriate, from the production area;

(iv) Prevent direct contact of confined animals with waters of the United States;

(v) Ensure that chemicals and other contaminants handled on-site are not disposed of in any manure, litter, process wastewater, or storm water storage or treatment system unless specifically designed to treat such chemicals and other contaminants;

(vi) Identify appropriate site specific conservation practices to be implemented, including as appropriate buffers or equivalent practices, to control runoff of pollutants to waters of the United States;

(vii) Identify protocols for appropriate testing of manure, litter, process wastewater, and soil;

(viii) Establish protocols to land apply manure, litter or process wastewater in accordance with site specific nutrient management practices that ensure appropriate agricultural utilization of the nutrients in the manure, litter or process wastewater; and

(ix) Identify specific records that will be maintained to document the implementation and management of the minimum elements described in paragraphs (e)(1)(i) through (e)(1)(viii) of this section.

(2) Recordkeeping requirements. (i) The permittee must create, maintain for five years, and make available to the Director, upon request, the following records:

(A) All applicable records identified pursuant paragraph (e)(1)(ix) of this section;

(B) In addition, all CAFOs subject to 40 CFR part 412 must comply with record keeping requirements as specified in §412.37(b) and (c) and §412.47(b) and (c).

(ii) A copy of the CAFO's site-specific nutrient management plan must be maintained on site and made available to the Director upon request.

(3) Requirements relating to transfer of manure or process wastewater to other persons. Prior to transferring manure, litter or process wastewater to other persons, Large CAFOs must provide the recipient of the manure, litter or process wastewater with the most current nutrient analysis. The analysis provided must be consistent with the requirements of 40 CFR part 412. Large CAFOs must retain for five years records of the date, recipient name and address, and approximate amount of manure, litter or process wastewater transferred to another person.

(4) Annual reporting requirements for CAFOs. The permittee must submit an annual report to the Director. The annual report must include:

(i) The number and type of animals, whether in open confinement or housed under roof (beef cattle, broilers, layers, swine weighing 55 pounds or more, swine weighing less than 55 pounds, mature dairy cows, dairy heifers, veal calves, sheep and lambs, horses, ducks, turkeys, other);

(ii) Estimated amount of total manure, litter and process wastewater generated by the CAFO in the previous 12 months (tons/gallons);

(iii) Estimated amount of total manure, litter and process wastewater transferred to other person by the CAFO in the previous 12 months (tons/gallons);

(iv) Total number of acres for land application covered by the nutrient management plan developed in accordance with paragraph (e)(1) of this section;

(v) Total number of acres under control of the CAFO that were used for land application of manure, litter and process wastewater in the previous 12 months;

(vi) Summary of all manure, litter and process wastewater discharges from the production area that have occurred in the previous 12 months, including date, time, and approximate volume; and

(vii) A statement indicating whether the current version of the CAFO's nutrient management plan was developed or approved by a certified nutrient management planner.

[48 FR 14153, Apr. 1, 1983, as amended at 49 FR 38049, Sept. 26, 1984; 50 FR 4514, Jan. 31, 1985; 55 FR 48073, Nov. 16, 1990; 57 FR 60448, Dec. 18, 1992; 68 FR 7268, Feb. 12, 2003; 71 FR 6984, Feb. 10, 2006]

§ 122.43 Establishing permit conditions (applicable to State programs, see §123.25).
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(a) In addition to conditions required in all permits (§§122.41 and 122.42), the Director shall establish conditions, as required on a case-by-case basis, to provide for and assure compliance with all applicable requirements of CWA and regulations. These shall include conditions under §§122.46 (duration of permits), 122.47(a) (schedules of compliance), 122.48 (monitoring), and for EPA permits only 122.47(b) (alternates schedule of compliance) and 122.49 (considerations under Federal law).

(b)(1) For a State issued permit, an applicable requirement is a State statutory or regulatory requirement which takes effect prior to final administrative disposition of a permit. For a permit issued by EPA, an applicable requirement is a statutory or regulatory requirement (including any interim final regulation) which takes effect prior to the issuance of the permit. Section 124.14 (reopening of comment period) provides a means for reopening EPA permit proceedings at the discretion of the Director where new requirements become effective during the permitting process and are of sufficient magnitude to make additional proceedings desirable. For State and EPA administered programs, an applicable requirement is also any requirement which takes effect prior to the modification or revocation and reissuance of a permit, to the extent allowed in §122.62.

(2) New or reissued permits, and to the extent allowed under §122.62 modified or revoked and reissued permits, shall incorporate each of the applicable requirements referenced in §§122.44 and 122.45.

(c) Incorporation. All permit conditions shall be incorporated either expressly or by reference. If incorporated by reference, a specific citation to the applicable regulations or requirements must be given in the permit.

[48 FR 14153, Apr. 1, 1983, as amended at 65 FR 30908, May 15, 2000]

§ 122.44 Establishing limitations, standards, and other permit conditions (applicable to State NPDES programs, see §123.25).
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In addition to the conditions established under §122.43(a), each NPDES permit shall include conditions meeting the following requirements when applicable.

(a)(1) Technology-based effluent limitations and standards based on: effluent limitations and standards promulgated under section 301 of the CWA, or new source performance standards promulgated under section 306 of CWA, on case-by-case effluent limitations determined under section 402(a)(1) of CWA, or a combination of the three, in accordance with §125.3 of this chapter. For new sources or new dischargers, these technology based limitations and standards are subject to the provisions of §122.29(d) (protection period).

(2) Monitoring waivers for certain guideline-listed pollutants. (i) The Director may authorize a discharger subject to technology-based effluent limitations guidelines and standards in an NPDES permit to forego sampling of a pollutant found at 40 CFR Subchapter N of this chapter if the discharger has demonstrated through sampling and other technical factors that the pollutant is not present in the discharge or is present only at background levels from intake water and without any increase in the pollutant due to activities of the discharger.

(ii) This waiver is good only for the term of the permit and is not available during the term of the first permit issued to a discharger.

(iii) Any request for this waiver must be submitted when applying for a reissued permit or modification of a reissued permit. The request must demonstrate through sampling or other technical information, including information generated during an earlier permit term that the pollutant is not present in the discharge or is present only at background levels from intake water and without any increase in the pollutant due to activities of the discharger. (continued)