CC-13-019: EPA – Water – NPDES Electronic Reporting, Proposed Rule

The July 30, 2013, issue of the Federal Register [FR 78 (146) 46006-46116] contained an EPA proposed rule that, if finalized, would obligate a large portion of mills operating under NPDES permit programs to report certain required information electronically rather than using reports submitted on paper. Electronic reports would be made to NPDES permitting authorities or, in cases where permitting authorities do not have electronic reporting vehicles acceptable to EPA, directly to the Agency. The proposed rule would also place potentially burdensome requirements on some state NPDES permitting authorities. This memo will be of interest to companies holding direct discharge NPDES permits for facility wastewaters, general permits for industrial stormwater or construction activity, and facilities subject to pretreatment requirements operating in areas without approved local pretreatment programs.