CC-13-023: EPA – Water – Proposed NPDES General Permit for Stormwater Discharges from Industrial Activities

In the September 27, 2013, Federal Register, EPA issued a proposed NPDES General Permit for the discharge of stormwater from industrial activity. This permit is also known as the Multi-Sector General Permit (MSGP) and the proposal would update the existing MSGP which was to expire on September 29, 2013. Most mills manage stormwater under state permits rather than EPA’s MSGP. However, many state permits for stormwater are modeled after EPA’s MSGP and thus the content of the MSGP, when finalized, may influence the content of state permits. The comment period for the proposed permit ends on November 26, 2013. NCASI plans to submit limited comments on one portion of the proposal. This memo will be of interest to all pulp, paper, timber, wood products, and wood treating operations for which stormwater discharges from industrial sources are managed under EPA’s Multi-Sector General Permit (MSGP). Facilities managing stormwater under a state issued General Permit will also be interested to the extent that provisions in the state permit are influenced by EPA’s MSGP.