NPDES Permit Overview
The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program is authorized by Section 402 of the Clean Water Act. NPDES permits are issued by the State of Indiana through the implementation of a memorandum of agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The purpose of the NPDES permit is to control the point source discharge of pollutants into the waters of the State such that the quality of the Waters of the State is maintained.
The following definitions are contained in Title 327 of the Indiana Administrative Code, Article 5, Rule 1.5:
- Point Source:
- Any discernible, confined and discrete conveyance, including, but not limited to, any pipe, ditch, channel, tunnel, conduit, well, discrete fissure, container, rolling stock, concentrated animal feeding operation, landfill leachate collection system, vessel, or other floating craft from which pollutants are or may be discharged.
- Pollutant:
- Includes, but is not necessarily limited to: dredged spoil, incinerator residue, filter backwash, sewage, garbage, sewage sludge, munitions, chemical wastes, solid wastes, toxic wastes, hazardous substances, biological materials, radioactive materials, heat, wrecked or discarded equipment, rock, sand, cellar dirt, and other industrial, municipal, and agricultural waste discharged into water.
- Waters of the State:
- Such accumulations of water, surface and underground, natural and artificial, public and private, or parts thereof, which are wholly or partially within, flow through, or border upon Indiana. The term does not include any exempt isolated wetland; private pond, or an off-stream pond, reservoir, wetland, or other facility built for reduction or control of pollution or cooling of water before discharge. The term includes all waters of the United States, as defined in Section 502(7) of the federal Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1362(7)), that are located in Indiana.
NPDES permits control point source discharges of pollutants into the Waters of the State through the establishment of effluent limitations and operating requirements.
Individual vs. General Permits
There are two broad categories of NPDES permits: individual NPDES permits and general NPDES permits. Individual NPDES permits are processed and issued by either the Industrial NPDES Permits Section, for wastewater from non-sanitary sources, or by the Municipal NPDES Permits Section, for wastewater that is primarily of sanitary composition. Individual permits contain requirements and limitations specific to a facility and their discharge (wastewater of either industrial or sanitary composition).
Coverage under a NPDES general permit is unique in that a facility operates and discharges under the requirements of the applicable general permit rather than the requirements of an individual permit. General permits were developed to provide a streamlined NPDES permitting process for certain classes or categories of industrial point source discharges; if a permittee can show they fall under that classification of discharge, they can receive coverage to discharge.
General Permits Administered by IDEM OWQ Permits Branch
Previously, all general permits administered by IDEM were contained within Indiana Administrative Code. The NPDES general permit rule program, Title 327 IAC 15, became effective on September 30, 1992. While there are still a few permits administered by rule, most general permits have been converted to “Master General Permits” which are issued and renewed every five years; those still remaining in rule are in the process of being converted to Master General Permits. Master General Permits contain the applicability requirements, which define the types of discharge that qualify for coverage under that Master General Permit, as well as the permit conditions and monitoring requirements or limitations that apply to facilities that receive coverage. The general permits issued by IDEM are listed below, along with copies of the currently effective Master General Permits and accompanying Fact Sheets. Note that stormwater-related general permits (Construction, Industrial, and Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems) are administered by the IDEM OWQ Stormwater Section; information is available on their website.
ING410000 Onsite Residential Sewage Discharging Disposal Systems
ING080000 Groundwater Petroleum Remediation
ING670000 Hydrostatic Testing of Commercial Pipelines
ING250000 Once-Through Noncontact Cooling Water
ING870000 Pesticide Applications
ING340000 Petroleum Products Terminals
ING420000 Temporary Discharges of Wastewater
ING490000 Sand, Gravel, Dimension Stone & Crushed Stone
327 IAC 15-7 Coal Mining, Coal Processing, and Reclamation Activities
The Coal General Permit is the only general permit administered by the Permits Branch that is still a general permit-by-rule. Work is currently being done to convert this general permit from permit-by-rule to a Master General Permit. Information on eligibility and permit requirements for the coal general permit are outlined in 327 IAC 15-7.
Process for Receiving Coverage under a Master General Permit
- Determine if the Discharge is Eligible for Coverage:
- If a facility believes their wastewater discharge falls into one of the master general permit categories, the Permit and Fact Sheet documents should be examined to confirm that the type of process that is eligible for coverage matches with the activities occurring at the facility.
- The exclusions listed in the Permit and/or Fact Sheet should also be examined to ensure the facility is not subject to an exclusion.
- Download and complete the applicable Notice of Intent (NOI) form from the IDEM Forms page.
- Note that facilities are required to public notice their intent to receive coverage under a general permit.
- Submit to IDEM the NOI (as well as any additional information as required by the specific NOI), the Identification of Potentially Affected Parties Form (State Form 49456) and the application fee (which is specified in each NOI).
- NOIs and Affected Parties Forms may be submitted by:
- Email to owqwwper@idem.in.gov or
- Mail to:
Indiana Department of Environmental Management
Office of Water Quality
Permits Administration Section
100 N. Senate Ave., IGCN 1255
Indianapolis, IN 46204-2251
- NOIs and Affected Parties Forms may be submitted by:
- Application fees may be submitted via:
- IDEM’s Online Payment portal at https://www.in.gov/idem/resources/e-services/online-payment-options/ or
- Check, sent to:
Indiana Department of Environmental Management
Office of Water Quality
Permits Administration Section
100 N. Senate Ave., IGCN 1255
Indianapolis, IN 46204-2251
- Once processed and determined to be a discharge eligible for coverage under the general permit, IDEM will issue a Notice of Coverage (NOC) to the facility informing them of any site-specific requirements and the timeframe they have coverage for the discharge.
- If the discharge is found to be ineligible for coverage under the general permit, IDEM will notify the facility of the need to seek coverage under an individual NPDES permit.
- The permittee will submit monitoring data and reports as required by the master general permit and NOC during the term of permit coverage.
- The master general permits are renewed every five (5) years; permittees will be required to reapply for coverage under the new master general permit, per the coverage dates included in the NOC.
Contact Information
Indiana Department of Environmental Management
Office of Water Quality
Permits Administration Section
100 N. Senate Ave., IGCN 1255
Indianapolis, IN 46204-2251
Phone
Catherine Hess, Chief Permits Administration Section
(317) 232-8704 or (800) 451-6027, ext 28704 (within Indiana)