After consideration of comments on the preliminary draft renewal of Maine’s Multi-Sector General Permit (MSGP) for Stormwater Discharge Associated with Industrial Activity, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (MEDEP) has posted a final draft for public comment.
This 2016 final draft differs from Maine’s 2011 MSGP in both format and content. Many of the changes incorporate the exact or similar requirements from the U.S. EPA Region I 2015 MSGP.
Some key revisions proposed by the MEDEP include:
- • Requiring all permittees to perform quarterly visual monitoring; removing the waiver for facilities conducting Benchmark Monitoring, Impaired Waters Monitoring, and Numeric Limitation Monitoring (for TSS).
- • Requiring all permittees to submit annual Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) reports.
- • Detailed Stormwater Control Measures/Best Management Practices, including requirements for all dumpsters to be covered, and specific criteria for cleaning catch basins.
- • A revised list of allowable Non-Stormwater Discharges (i.e. adding potable water, expanding the sources of uncontaminated condensate, removing pavement washwaters and removing hydrostatic test water).
- • A significantly revised Definitions section.
- • Removing “Additional Requirements for SARA Title III Facilities” section (Part V, Section N in MSGP 2011).
- • Removing the requirement for permittees to determine if a facility discharges to an Impaired Water; the MEDEP will now make that decision.
Now is your chance to review and comment on the proposed changes until November 1, 2016. For information on where to submit comments to the MEDEP, follow this link.
Contact us if you need assistance in understanding how these changes affect your facility, or if you are unsure if your facility is subject to Maine’s MSGP.