General Permit for the Discharge of Domestic Sewage
Notice of Tentative Decision: Intent to Renew the General Permit for the Discharge of Domestic Sewage
The Commissioner of the Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (“DEEP”) hereby gives notice of a tentative decision to renew the General Permit for the Discharge of Domestic Sewage.
The General Permit for the Discharge of Domestic Sewage was issued on October 9, 2012 and will expire on October 8, 2022. By publishing this Notice at least 180 days prior to the expiration date of the current general permit, section 22a-6aa of the Connecticut General Statutes authorizes the current general permit to continue in effect until October 8, 2023 or until the Commissioner makes a final decision on the renewal of the general permit, whichever is earlier. If no final decision is made by October 8, 2023, the general permit shall expire.
COMMISSIONER’S FINDINGS/REGULATORY CONDITIONS
In accordance with applicable federal and state law, the Commissioner has made a tentative decision that renewal of this general permit would not cause pollution of the waters of the state. The proposed general permit, if renewed, will require registration only for new permittees. No renewal registration is required for existing permittees. New permittees must provide 1) an average daily flow calculation and 2) a Community Sewerage System Agreement signed by both the municipality receiving the discharge and the person owning the community sewerage system.
PROPOSED GENERAL PERMIT
The DEEP is proposing to continue permit authorization by issuing this Notice to reissue the General Permit of Domestic Sewage for a ten-year period. The purpose of the general permit is to ensure compliance with the requirements of section 7-246f of the General Statutes. Section 7-246f of the General Statutes requires that members of a property owners’ association properly maintain and finance the community sewerage system it owns and operates.
COMMISSIONER’S AUTHORITY
The Commissioner is authorized to issue this general permit and approve or deny any registration under this general permit pursuant to sections 22a-430 and 22a-430b of the Connecticut General Statutes and the Water Discharge Permit Regulations (section 22a-430-3 and 4 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies).
INFORMATION REQUESTS/PUBLIC COMMENT
Interested persons may obtain a copy of this public notice, the proposed general permit and the general permit fact sheet on the DEEP website at portal.ct.gov/DEEP/About/Public-Notices.
The proposed general permit is also available for inspection at the DEEP Water Permitting and Enforcement Division, Bureau of Materials Management and Compliance Assurance, 79 Elm Street, Hartford, CT from 8:30 – 4:30, Monday through Friday. Questions may be directed to James Creighton at 860-424-3681 or james.creighton@ct.gov.
Before making a final decision on this proposed general permit, the Commissioner shall consider written comments on the general permit from interested persons that are received within thirty (30) days from the publication date of this notice. Written comments should be directed via mail to: James Creighton, Water Permitting and Enforcement Division, Bureau of Materials Management and Compliance Assurance, Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, 79 Elm Street, Hartford, CT 06106-5127 and should also be submitted via electronic mail to: james.creighton@ct.gov.
PETITIONS FOR PUBLIC HEARING
The Commissioner may hold a public hearing prior to the renewal of the general permit if in the Commissioner’s discretion the public interest will be best served thereby and shall hold a hearing upon receipt of a petition signed by at least twenty-five persons. Notice of any public hearing shall be published at least thirty (30) days prior to the hearing. Petitions for a hearing shall be submitted within thirty (30) days from the date of publication of this public notice and should include the name of the general permit noted above and also identify a contact person to receive notifications. Petitions should also identify a person who is authorized to engage in discussions regarding the proposed general permit and, if resolution is reached, withdraw the petition.In order to facilitate the filing of requests for hearing during the COVID-19 emergency and consistent with the Department’s Temporary Directive, the Office of Adjudications will accept electronically-filed petitions in addition to petitions submitted by mail. Petitions with required signatures may be filed by email to deep.adjudications@ct.gov or mailed to: DEEP Office of Adjudications, 79 Elm Street, Hartford, CT 06106. Within thirty (30) days of filing the petition, original petitions that were filed electronically must also be mailed to the Office at the above-noted address above. If the original petition exists only in electronic format or signatures were produced using a computer or typewriter, the petition must be submitted with a statement bearing the wet-ink signature of the petitioner that the petition is only available in that format and has been submitted to satisfy the requirement that an original petition be filed. If a hearing is held, timely notice of such hearing will be published in a newspaper of general circulation and posted on the DEEP website at www.ct.gov/deep. Additional information is available at www.ct.gov/deep/adjudications.
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer that is committed to complying with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Please contact james.creighton@ct.gov if you are seeking a communication aid or service, have limited proficiency in English, or require some other accommodation. If you wish to file an ADA or Title VI discrimination complaint, you may submit your complaint to DEEP Office of Diversity and Equity at (860) 418-5910 or via email at deep.accommodations@ct.gov. In order to facilitate efforts to provide an accommodation, please request all accommodations as soon as possible following notice of any agency hearing, meeting, program or event.
/s/Katie S. Dykes
Commissioner
Published in the Hartford Courant, New Haven Register, Waterbury Republican-American, Connecticut Post, New London Day, and The Chronicle.
Fact Sheet