Interim Framework to Ensure Issuance of Timely and High Quality Npdes Permits (Approaches for Reducing the Npdes Permit Backlog)

By Environmental Protection Agency

Book Id: WPLBN0000138331
Format Type: PDF eBook:
File Size: 0.5 MB
Reproduction Date: 2007

Title:	Interim Framework to Ensure Issuance of Timely and High Quality Npdes Permits (Approaches for Reducing the Npdes Permit Backlog)
Author:	Environmental Protection Agency
Volume:
Language:	English
Subject:	Ecology, Natural resource issues, Environemtal protection
Collections:	Environmental Awareness Library Collection
Historic Publication Date:
Publisher:	United States Environmental Protection Agency


Citation APA MLA Chicago Protection Agency, B. E. (n.d.). Interim Framework to Ensure Issuance of Timely and High Quality Npdes Permits (Approaches for Reducing the Npdes Permit Backlog). Retrieved from http://gutenberg.us/

Description
Excerpt: However, the conditions upon which the existing permit is based may have changed since the permit was issued. Changed conditions may include expansions or changes to the facility’s operation, promulgation of technology-based or water qualitybased standards, or development of a basin plan or total maximum daily load (TMDL), each of which may affect the facility’s effluent limits. In this case, the administratively continued permit would not contain terms and conditions based on the most recent standards, in effect delaying prospective environmental improvements to the nation’s waters and possibly continuing deleterious effects.

Table of Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS PURPOSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii 1.0 INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1 1.1 How Has the NPDES Program Evolved? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1 1.2 What Is the NPDES Permit Backlog? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2 1.3 Why is the NPDES Permit Backlog a Problem? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3 2.0 NPDES PROGRAM AND PERMIT BACKLOG STATISTICS . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1 2.1 What is the Scope of the NPDES Permits Program? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1 2.2 What Data are Available to Quantify the NPDES Permit Backlog? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2 2.3 What Resources are Available to Draft and Issue NPDES Permits? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4 3.0 ASSESSMENT OF THE NPDES PERMIT BACKLOG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1 3.1 What are the Causes of the NPDES Permit Backlog? . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1 4.0 THE NATIONAL GOAL AND REGIONAL AND NATIONAL PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1 4.1 What are the Goals for Permit Issuance and Backlog Reduction? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1 4.2 What Level of Backlog Is Acceptable? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2 4.3 What Measures of Quality Will be Required for NPDES Permits? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3 5.0 STRATEGIC INITIATIVES AND APPROACHES TO REDUCING THE NPDES PERMIT BACKLOG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1 Strategic Initiative #1: Understand and Better Define the Backlog . . . . . . 5-1 Strategic Initiative #2: Examine Permitting Efficiencies and Facilitate Programmatic and Technical Streamlining Opportunities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3 Strategic Initiative #3: Provide Funding and Technical Support for Regions and States . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5 Strategic Initiative #4: Encourage Regions and States to Share Technical Expertise and Permitting Tools . . . . . . 5-6