Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 45, November 9, 2024
Section 92a.21 - Application for a permit(a) The provisions of 40 CFR 122.21(b), (g)(1)-(7), (9)-(13), (h), (i), (j), (k), (l), (m)(1) and (6), (p), (q) and (r) (relating to application for a permit (applicable to State programs, see § 123.25)) are incorporated by reference.(b)Duty to apply. Persons wishing to discharge pollutants shall file a complete application for an individual permit at least 180 days before the date on which it is desired to commence the discharge of pollutants or within another period of time that the Department determines is sufficient to ensure compliance with the Federal Act and the State Act, including applicable water quality standards and effluent limitations or standards.(c)Application forms. Applicants for permits shall submit applications on Department permit application forms. At a minimum, the following are required to be submitted by applicants for a permit, except as otherwise specified: (1) One original and two copies of the complete application. The Department may require additional copies, if needed to complete the review process.(2) The applicable permit application fee and other fees as set forth in § 92a.26 (relating to application fees).(3) If required by the application, proof that a written notice of an application has been submitted to the municipality and county in which the activity is or will be located at least 30 days before the Department may take action on the application. This notice must satisfy the notification requirements of section 1905-A of The Administrative Code of 1929 (71 P. S. § 510-5) and the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code (53 P. S. §§ 10101-11107) if required.(4) If required by the application, proof that public notice of the application has been published in a newspaper of general circulation in the locality in which the activity is or will be located once a week during a consecutive 4-week period.(5) A description of the activities conducted by the applicant that require an NPDES permit; name, mailing address and location of the facility; up to four standard industrial codes (SIC) or North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code that best reflect the principal products or services provided by the facility; the operator's name, address, telephone number, ownership status and entity status; a listing of all Department and EPA environmental quality permits for the facility; a topographic or other map extending 1 mile beyond the boundaries of the facility or activity; and a brief description of the nature of the business.(6) Documentation that the applicant is in compliance with all existing Department permits, regulations, orders and schedules of compliance, or that any noncompliance with an existing permit has been resolved by an appropriate compliance action or by the terms and conditions of the permit (including a compliance schedule set forth in the permit) consistent with § 92a.51 (relating to schedules of compliance) and other applicable Department regulations.(d)Additional information. The Department may require other information or data needed to assess the discharges from the facility and any impact on receiving waters, and to determine whether to issue an NPDES permit, or what conditions or effluent limitations (including water quality based effluent limitations) to place in the permit. The additional information may include, but is not limited to: (1) The results of an effluent assessment (or estimate for new dischargers or new sources), including a list of the mass and concentration of pollutants found (or estimated to be for new discharges or new sources) in the wastewater discharge, under Department protocols.(2) Information and data relating to the biological, physical and chemical characteristics of waters and habitat immediately upstream and downstream of the proposed discharge, performed under a Department-approved protocol.(3) The results of a waterbody assessment, under Department protocols, setting forth the impact (or potential impact) of the discharges on surface waters of this Commonwealth.(4) The results of whole effluent toxicity testing, an instream cause/effect survey, or other tests or surveys as needed to determine the impact of a discharge on a waterbody performed under a Department-approved protocol.(e)Addresses. The Department will publish at least annually a list of addresses to which applications and their accompanying papers shall be submitted.(f)Supporting documentation . A person required to file an application shall also file additional modules, forms and applications, and supply data as specified by the Department. Additional modules, forms, applications and data are considered a part of the application. This section cited in 25 Pa. Code § 16.52 (relating to Whole Effluent Toxicity Testing (WETT)); 25 Pa. Code § 92a.3 (relating to incorporation of Federal regulations by reference).