Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection

DEEP headquarters at 79 Elm Street in Hartford has partially re-opened to staff and members of the public as of Tuesday, February 3. The DEEP records room has re-opened. The DEEP Central Permit Processing Unit (CPPU) will be open to the public starting on Wednesday, Feb. 4. For updates, click here

General Permit for the Discharge of Stormwater Associated with Industrial Activity

Notice of Tentative Decision

Intent to Reissue the General Permit for the Discharge
of Stormwater Associated with Industrial Activity

 

TENTATIVE DECISION
The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) hereby gives notice of a tentative decision to reissue without modifications the General Permit for the Discharge of Stormwater Associated with Industrial Activity (industrial general permit).

 

The current industrial general permit became effective on October 1, 2011. It was most recently reissued without modifications on October 1, 2019 and will expire on September 30, 2021.  The DEEP is proposing to continue permit authorization by issuing this notice to reissue the industrial general permit without modifications for the period beginning on October 1, 2021 and expiring on September 30, 2024. 

 

The Department intends to reissue a new industrial general permit with modifications prior to the expiration of this proposed reissued general permit without modifications.  The Department will seek public comment on a notice of tentative decision to reissue the industrial general permit with modifications by July 2022.

 

COMMISSIONER’S FINDINGS/REGULATORY CONDITIONS
In accordance with applicable federal and state law, the Commissioner has made a tentative decision that reissuance of the industrial general permit would not cause pollution of the waters of the state. No re-registration is required for the industrial general permit without modifications.  The Department is not requiring existing permittees to submit reregistration forms as part of this reissuance. However, permittees must continue to implement, maintain, and update all elements of their Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan as specified in the current industrial general permit to ensure that the discharge will not cause pollution.  By publishing this notice not later than one hundred eighty (180) days prior to the expiration of the current industrial general permit, the Commissioner may continue the current industrial general permit as provided by section 22a-6bb of the Connecticut General Statutes (CGS).

 

INDUSTRIAL GENERAL PERMIT
The purpose of the industrial general permit is to protect waters of the state from stormwater runoff discharging from industrial facilities.  The DEEP first issued the industrial general permit on October 1, 1992. The permit has been renewed with modifications since that initial issuance. The industrial general permit contains requirements to develop and implement a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) and conduct inspections and stormwater monitoring.  The SWPPP contains requirements for industrial activities to describe and manage their operations and contains control measures to reduce or eliminate the potential for the discharge of stormwater runoff pollutants from an industrial activity.


COMMISSIONER’S AUTHORITY
The Commissioner is authorized to issue this general permit pursuant to CGS sections 22a-430 and 22a-430b and the Water Discharge Permit Regulations (section 22a-430-3 and 4 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies).  The Commissioner is authorized to approve or deny any registration under this general permit pursuant to CGS section 22a-430b.

 

PUBLIC COMMENT
Interested persons may obtain a copy of this public notice and the general permit on the DEEP website at www.ct.gov/deep/publicnotices . Questions and requests may be directed to Chris Stone at Chris.stone@ct.gov.

 

Prior to making a final decision to approve or deny any application, the Commissioner shall consider written comments on the application from interested persons that are received within thirty (30) days from the date of publication of this public notice. Written comments should be directed to Chris Stone at chris.stone@ct.gov.

 

PETITIONS FOR PUBLIC HEARING
The Commissioner may hold a public hearing prior to approving or denying an application 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 (25) 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 application number 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 application 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 the DEEP Office of Adjudications, 79 Elm Street, Hartford, CT 06106.  Within thirty (30) days, original petitions that were filed electronically must be also be mailed to the Office of Adjudications at the above-noted address. 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 can be found 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 Chris Stone at chris.stone@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 Barbara Viadella or Cenit Mirabal, 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/Betsey Wingfield     
Deputy Commissioner

 

Draft Permit and Fact Sheet: www.ct.gov/deep/stormwater

 

Published in the Hartford Courant, New Haven Register, Waterbury Republican-American, Connecticut Post, New London Day and the Willimantic Chronicle on Friday April 2, 2021.

 

Draft Permit 

 

Fact Sheet