Proposed Reissuance of National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Storm Water Multi-Sector General Permit for Industrial Activities

EPA Regions 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, and 10 are today proposing to reissue EPA's NPDES Storm Water Multi-Sector General Permit (MSGP). This general permit was first issued on September 29, 1995 (60 FR 50804), and amended on February 9, 1996 (61 FR 5248), February 20, 1996 (61 FR 6412), September 24, 1996 (61 FR 50020), August 7, 1998 (63 FR 42534) and September 30, 1998 (63 FR 52430). Today's proposed MSGP is similar to the 1995 permit, as amended, and will authorize the discharge of storm water from industrial facilities consistent with the terms of the permit. Public Comment Period: The public comment period for the proposed MSGP will be from today's date until May 30, 2000. All public comments must be submitted to: ATTN: MSGP-2000 Comments, W-99-26, MC 4101, U.S. EPA, Room EB57, 401 M Street SW, Washington, DC 20460. Please submit the original and three copies of your comments and enclosures (including references). Comments must be received or postmarked by midnight no later than May 30, 2000. To ensure that EPA can read, understand and therefore properly respond to comments, the Agency would prefer that commenters cite, where possible, the paragraph(s) or sections in the notice or supporting documents to which each comment refers. Commenters who want EPA to acknowledge receipt of their comments should enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope. No fascimiles (faxes) will be accepted. Comments may also be submitted electronically to: ow-docket@epa.gov. Electronic comments must be submitted as an ASCII file avoiding the use of special characters and forms of encryption. Electronic comments must be identified by the docket number W-99-26 (MSGP-2000). No Confidential Business information (CBI) should be submitted through e-mail. Comments and data will also be accepted on disks in WordPerfect 6.1 format or ASCII file format. Electronic comments on this notice may be filed online at many Federal Depository Libraries. The record for today's proposed MSGP has been established under docket number W-99-26, and includes supporting documentation as well as printed, paper versions of electronic comments. It does not include any information claimed as CBI. Public Meetings: Public meetings on the proposed permit will be held at the locations listed below. The public meetings will include a presentation on the draft permits and a question and answer session. Written, but not oral, comments for the official permit record will be accepted at the public meetings. Dallas, TX: May 1, 2000, 1:00 pm, EPA Region 6 Offices, 12th Floor, 1445 Ross Ave., Dallas, Texas. Santa Fe, NM: April 24, 2000, 1:00 pm, New Mexico Environment Department Offices, Runnels Building Auditorium, 1190 St. Francis Dr., Santa Fe, New Mexico. Additional public meets may be scheduled in one or more EPA regions. For times and locations, please visit our MSGP web site at www.epa.gov/owm/sw/industry/msgp/index.htm. Public Hearings: EPA has not scheduled any public hearings to receive public comment concerning today's proposal in view of the limited attendance at previous hearings which have been held related to the existing MSGP. All persons will continue to have the right to provide written comments at any time during the public comment period. However, interested persons may request a public hearing pursuant to 40 CFR 124.12 concerning the proposed MSGP-2000. Requests for a public hearing must be sent or delivered in writing to the same address as provided above for public comments prior to the close of the comment period. Requests for a public hearing must state the nature of the issues proposed to be raised in the hearing. Pursuant to 40 CFR 124.12, EPA shall hold a public hearing if it finds, on the basis of requests, a significant degree of public interest in the proposed permit. If EPA decides to hold a public hearing, a public notice of the date, time and place of the hearing will be made at least 30 days prior to the hearing. Any person may provide written or oral statements and data pertaining to the proposed permit at the public hearing.