[Federal Register: August 25, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 164)]
[Notices]
[Page 51011-51012]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr25au03-32]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-7548-8]
Notice of Availability: Draft Watershed-Based National Pollutant
Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permitting Implementation Guidance
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This notice announces that the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency is publishing Draft Guidance On Watershed-Based National
Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permitting
Implementation. EPA is making the draft guidance available to the
public for a period of thirty days during which EPA seeks comments on
the document. The purpose of this guidance is to describe the concept
of and the process for watershed-based permitting under the NPDES
permit program. Watershed-based NPDES permitting is an approach to
developing NPDES permits for multiple point sources located within a
defined geographic area (i.e., watershed boundaries). This approach,
aimed at achieving new efficiencies and environmental results, provides
a process for considering all stressors within a hydrologically defined
drainage basin or other geographic area, rather than addressing
individual pollutant sources on a discharge-by-discharge basis. As
outlined in the guidance, EPA will continue to implement the NPDES
program through its existing statutory and regulatory authorities. The
guidance cannot impose legally binding requirements on EPA, States,
Tribes, or the regulated community. It cannot substitute for Clean
Water Act (CWA) requirements, EPA's regulations, or the obligations
imposed by consent decrees or enforcement orders.
DATES: All public comments on the draft guidance must be received on or
before September 24, 2003.
ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Patrick Bradley, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, EPA East Building (MC 4203M), 1200
[[Page 51012]]
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460. Commenters are also
requested to submit an original and 3 copies of their written comments
as well as an original and 3 copies of any attachments, enclosures, or
other documents referenced in the comments. EPA will also accept
comments electronically. Comments should be addressed to the following
e-mail address: bradley.patrick@epa.gov. Electronic comments must be
submitted as an ASCII, WordPerfect format file and avoid the use of
special characters or any form of encryption.
Interested persons may obtain a copy of the guidance from the Water
Permits Division's Web site (http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/wqbasedpermitting/wspermitting.cfm
).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patrick Bradley, Telephone: (202) 564-
0729. Facsimile Number: (202) 564-6392. E-mail:
bradley.patrick@epa.gov. Also visit the Water Permits Division's Web
page at http://www.epa.gov/npdes.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: For nearly a decade, the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) has supported and encouraged a watershed
approach to addressing water quality problems. Awareness and
understanding of this approach has grown over time, but with
demonstrated gaps in implementation. In fall 2002 the EPA Office of
Water Assistant Administrator issued a policy memo entitled
``Committing EPA's Water Program to Advancing the Watershed Approach.''
This policy memo not only reaffirms EPA's commitment to the watershed
approach but also reenergizes efforts to ensure that EPA as a whole
fully integrates the approach into program implementation. The memo
calls for the creation of a Watershed Management Council (WMC) that
will, among other activities, accelerate efforts to develop and issue
NPDES permits on a watershed basis.
Following the watershed approach policy memo, EPA's Assistant
Administrator for Water released the ``Watershed-Based NPDES Permitting
Policy Statement.'' This statement communicates EPA's policy on
implementing NPDES permitting activities on a watershed basis,
discusses the benefits of watershed-based permitting, presents an
explanation of the process and several mechanisms to implement
watershed-based permitting, and outlines how EPA will encourage
watershed-based permitting. It serves as both a formal commitment and a
strategy for fully integrating the watershed approach into the NPDES
permitting program and accelerating these efforts, as called for in the
watershed approach policy memo. Both the policy memo on advancing the
watershed approach and the watershed-based permitting policy statement
are available on EPA's Web page at http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/wqbasedpermitting/wspermitting.cfm
.
Dated: August 14, 2003.
James Hanlon,
Director, Office of Wastewater Management.
[FR Doc. 03-21660 Filed 8-22-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P