Last Updated: Monday, 01-Dec-2008 14:05:12 ESTNPDES General Permits
Note: For general permits not in the NPDES program, use these links:
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BackgroundWhenever a municipality, industry, or other entity wishes to discharge water to a surface water of the State, they must first obtain a permit from the Ohio EPA Division of Surface Water (DSW). This permit is called a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. NPDES permits regulate wastewater discharges by limiting the quantities of pollutants to be discharged and imposing monitoring requirements and other conditions. The limits and/or requirements in the permit help ensure compliance with Ohio's Water Quality Standards and Federal Regulations, all of which were written to protect public health and the aquatic environment. In August of 1992, the U.S. EPA delegated to Ohio EPA the authority to issue general NPDES permits. Ohio law regarding general permits (Ohio Revised Code Section 6111.035) was originally written to apply to coal mining and reclamation activities. It was revised to expand the scope of general permits to storm water discharges and then, in 1993, to include wastewater discharges with a de minimis impact on the receiving stream. Rules addressing the general NPDES permit program are in Ohio Administrative Code Chapter 3745-38. DSW is in the process of developing and issuing general permits for a variety of discharges in order to increase efficiency and to help make it easier for various dischargers to obtain an NPDES permit. Types of PermitsThere are two types of NPDES permits; individual and general. An individual NPDES permit is unique to each facility. The limitations and requirements in an individual permit are based on the facility's operations, type and amount of discharge, and receiving stream, among other factors. Because some of the individual permits contain very similar or, in many cases, identical effluent limitations and requirements, their contents have been compiled into one permit that can be applied to certain categories of discharges. This is a general permit. A general permit is one permit that covers facilities that have similar operations and type of discharge. A general NPDES permit is a potential alternative to an individual NPDES permit and affords coverage to new and existing dischargers that meet the eligibility criteria given in the general permit. General permits are used to cover discharges that will have a minimal affect on the environment. Advantages of a General PermitThere are several advantages to obtaining coverage under a general NPDES permit instead of an individual NPDES permit, such as;
General Permits Currently AvailableThe following general permits have been issued:
Over the next several years, a number of other categories of discharges will be addressed by general permits, hence giving dischargers the opportunity to choose between an individual or general permit. These potential categories include industrial mineral mining activity discharges (including sand and gravel operations) and discharges from landfills. Draft General Permits
Applying For CoverageGeneral NPDES permits are usually issued for up to five years. Upon expiration, the permit is revised if necessary and renewed. When a permit is issued, a discharger may review the permit and decide whether or not to apply for coverage. Before the discharger decides to apply for coverage under the general permit, their discharge must be able to meet all of the requirements and effluent limitations in the general permit. To apply for general permit coverage, the discharger submits a Notice of Intent (NOI) application form. Ohio EPA will review the NOI and send a letter informing the discharger of the approval or denial of their general permit coverage. (Note: To apply for coverage under the Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) general permit, see the Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations page.) If the discharger decides not to apply for general permit coverage, they must apply for an individual permit. Ohio EPA is not required to approve all general permit applicants to be covered by the general permit, but may require the discharger to apply for an individual permit if environmental concerns exist that are not addressed by the general permit. It is preferred that each facility be covered by only one NPDES permit (i.e., the individual permit). You can get copies of the NOI, NOT (Notice of Termination) and Permit Transfer application forms and instructions by following the links below. The forms identified as "fill-in" can be completed and saved using the free Adobe Acrobat™ reader (version 7.0 or later). Download an Adobe Acrobat™ reader for your operating system from Adobe.
For more informationFor more information on storm water general permits, see the Storm Water Program Contacts page. For more information on other general permits, contact Paul Novak at (614) 644-2035. Back to Permits
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