[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 215 (Tuesday, November 8, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67703-67704]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-22252]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-7994-5]
Notice of Availability of Draft NPDES General Permit for Small
Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems in the Commonwealth of Puerto
Rico and Federal Facilities in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.
ACTION: Notice of Draft NPDES General Permits--PRR040000 and PRR04000F.
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SUMMARY: The Director of the Caribbean Environmental Protection
Division (CEPD), Environmental Protection Agency--Region 2 (EPA), is
issuing Notice of a Draft National Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System (NPDES) general permit for discharges from small municipal
separate storm sewer systems (MS4) to waters of the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico. This draft NPDES general permit establishes Notice of
Intent (NOI) requirements, standards, prohibitions and management
practices for discharges of storm water from municipal separate storm
sewer systems. Owners and/or operators of small MS4s that discharge
storm water will be required to submit a NOI to EPA-CEPD to be covered
by the general permit and will receive a written notification from EPA-
CEPD of permit coverage and authorization to discharge under the
general permit. The eligibility requirements are discussed in the draft
permit. The municipality must meet the eligibility requirements of the
permit prior to submission of the NOI. This general permit does not
cover new sources as defined under 40 CFR 122.2.
DATES: Public comments are due by midnight on February 6, 2006. The
general permit shall be effective on the
[[Page 67704]]
date specified in the final general permit published in the Federal
Register and will expire five years from the date that the final permit
is published in the Federal Register. Within the comment period,
interested persons may request a public hearing pursuant to 40 CFR
124.12 concerning the proposed permit. Requests for a public hearing
must be sent or delivered in writing to the same address as provided
below for public comments prior to the close of the comment period.
Requests for a public hearing must state the nature of the issues
proposed to be raised in the hearing. Pursuant to 40 CFR 124.12, EPA
shall hold a public hearing if it finds, on the basis of requests, a
significant degree of public interest in a public hearing on the
proposed permit. If EPA decides to hold a public hearing, a public
notice of the date, time and place of the hearing will be made at least
30 days prior to the hearing.
ADDRESSES: The draft permit is based on an administrative record
available for public review at EPA--Region 2, Caribbean Environmental
Protection Division, Centro Europa Building, Suite 417, 1492 Ponce de
Leon Avenue, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00907-4127.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Additional information concerning the
draft permit may be obtained between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30
p.m. Monday through Friday excluding holidays from: Sergio Bosques,
Caribbean Environmental Protection Division, Environmental Protection
Agency, Centro Europa Building, Suite 417, 1492 Ponce de Leon Avenue,
San Juan, Puerto Rico 00907-4127; telephone: 787-977-5838; e-mail:
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This general permit covers storm water
discharges from small municipal separate storm sewer systems meeting
the definition of ``small municipal separate storm sewer system'' at 40
CFR 122.26(b)(16) and designated under 40 CFR 122.32(a)(1) or 40 CFR
122.32(a)(2). Designation under 40 CFR 122.32(a)(1) applies to small
MS4s located in an urbanized area. Designation under 40 CFR
122.32(a)(2) applies to small MS4s determined to need a permit by the
Director. A small MS4 is a conveyance or system of conveyances--
including roads with drainage systems, municipal streets, catch basins,
curbs, gutters, ditches, manmade channels, or storm drains. This system
must be owned or operated by a municipality. A municipality includes
the following entities: The United States, a State, city, town,
borough, county, parish, district, association, or other public body
(created by or pursuant to State law) having jurisdiction over disposal
of sewage, industrial wastes, storm water, or other wastes including
special districts under State law such as a sewer, flood control
district or drainage district, or similar entity, or a designated and
approved management agency under section 208 of the CWA that discharges
to waters of the United States. A Fact Sheet sets forth principal facts
and the significant factual, legal, and policy issues considered in the
development of the draft permit. To obtain a paper copy of the
documents, please contact Sergio Bosques using the contact information
provided above.
When the general permits are issued, the notice of final issuance
will be published in the Federal Register. The general permits shall be
effective on the date specified in the notice of final issuance of the
general permits published in the Federal Register and will expire five
years from the effective date of the permit.
Authority: Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.
Dated: September 30, 2005.
Jose C. Font,
Acting Director, Caribbean Environmental Protection Division, EPA
Region 2.
[FR Doc. 05-22252 Filed 11-7-05; 8:45 am]
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