With the issuance of the Georgia Environmental Protection Division’s (EPD) 2022 Industrial General Stormwater Permit (IGP), several changes were made to stormwater monitoring requirements.
Continue reading “NetDMR Account Creation, Facility Association, & DMR Submittal”
Category: Stormwater
The Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) calendar year 2022 Annual Reports are due to be submitted by January 31, 2023. The Annual Reports will need to be submitted through the EPD’s online portal GEOS located at https://geos.epd.georgia.gov/GA/GEOS/Public/GovEnt/Shared/Pages/Main/Login.aspx.
The new Annual Report format for the 2022 Industrial General Storm Water Permit (IGP) has not yet been populated in the GEOS portal; however, it should be available early January. In preparation to submit the annual report the Responsible Official (RO) will need to collect compliance data for calendar year 2022 such as: Continue reading “Georgia EPD Annual Reports Requirements”
Upcoming changes with the release of the GA EPD 2022 stormwater permit that may affect/impact your facility: Continue reading “What to expect with the release of the 2022 GA Stormwater Permit”
What is the General Stormwater Permit?
Most facilities that conduct industrial activity exposed to stormwater are familiar with the NPDES Industrial Storm Water General Permit and are aware that it is issued by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD). The current General Stormwater Permit was issued in March 2017 and will continue through May 2022. This is the earliest effective date for reissuance of the permit. Facilities with a permit are authorized to discharge stormwater associated with industrial activity to the waters of the state of Georgia in accordance with the limitations, monitoring requirements and other conditions set forth in the permit.
What is the Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan? Continue reading “Staying in Compliance with Your General Stormwater Permit”
With the release of the EPA’s 2021 Stormwater Multisector General Permit (MSGP), the GA EPD, like many other states, is planning to adopt significant changes from the 2021 EPA MSGP to their Industrial General Permit (IGP) in May of 2022. These changes will apply to most if not all industry sectors covered under the current 2017 IGP. The EPD has confirmed the following as the “most significant changes” that have been added to the draft permit:
Continue reading “Georgia Set To Release New General Stormwater Permit in 2022”
With the release of the 2012 Industrial General Stormwater Permit (IGP) the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) introduced the Smoke and Dye Testing requirement for any facility with sinks and floor drains in industrial areas that were installed prior to 2006. This requirement was rolled over into the 2017 IGP when it was released in June 2017 that all applicable permittees should conduct the Smoke and Dye Testing prior to the end of the permit cycle which is schedule to be May 30, 2022.
Continue reading “What is a Smoke & Dye Test and Why is it Required?”
The prevention of stormwater contamination is a major concern that does not discriminate between, and is applicable to, all types of industry. Stormwater can be defined as storm water runoff (e.g. rain flow), snow melt runoff, and drainage. All industrial facilities have some form of stormwater discharge which has the potential to be impacted by pollutants from different types of industrial activities, such as pallets stored outside, forklift traffic between buildings, outdoor parts storage, etc. Due to this potential, all industrial facilities in the United States are required to comply with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Industrial Stormwater Regulations. Noncompliance with any of the Industrial Stormwater Regulations, such as the discharge of stormwater mixed with pollutants from processes or other industrial activity, is a violation of the Clean Water Act, which regulates the discharge of pollutants to waters of the United States.
Facilities are required to ensure that any stormwater discharging from their property is free from contaminants by conducting analytical sampling. Continue reading “Management and Prevention of Stormwater Benchmark Exceedances”
Industrial Stormwater Permitting requirements have been in place for over 20 years. Facilities that fall under one of eleven industry categories identified by the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and have material handling and storage, equipment maintenance and cleaning, and other activities exposed to stormwater are required to have a permit to discharge their stormwater runoff. Stormwater runoff is generated from rain and snowmelt events that flow over land or impervious surfaces, such as paved streets, parking lots, and building rooftops, and does not soak into the ground. The runoff picks up pollutants like trash, chemicals, oils, and dirt/sediment that can harm our rivers, streams, lakes, and coastal waters. Most often, industrial facilities are covered under General Permits issued by the State, but some facilities have individual permits. Continue reading “Industrial Stormwater Compliance – Increased Focus from Regulators”
After two rounds of public comments, the final version of Georgia’s General Multi-Sector Industrial Storm Water Permit (GAR050000) renewal has been issued. The permit will become effective on June 1, 2017. Covered industrial facilities will need to meet the following compliance deadlines:
All NOI’s and Annual Reports must now be submitted via Georgia EPD’s Online System (GEOS). Below are links to the final permit and to the GEOS website. If you have any questions or need assistance with submitting an NOI or updating or developing your SWPPP, please contact us.
New Georgia Multi-Sector Industrial Stormwater Permit – http://epd.georgia.gov/sites/epd.georgia.gov/files/related_files/site_page/FinalSigned2017IGP-20170306.pdf
GEOS Website – http://epd.georgia.gov/geos/
Georgia EPD’s NPDES Industrial Storm Water General Permits website – http://epd.georgia.gov/npdes-industrial-storm-water-general-permits
Most industrial facilities are required to maintain a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) in order to minimize the discharge of pollutants from the property. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) releases a Multi-Sector General Permit every five years that the majority of states model their permits after. These 6 steps are important for maintaining a compliant SWPPP in most states: