NPDES General Permits (HAR, Chapter 11-55, Appendices B through L) Effective December 6, 2013

The Department of Health (DOH), Clean Water Branch (CWB) amended Hawaii Administrative Rules (HAR), Chapter 11-55 and readopted the NPDES General Permits in HAR, Chapter 11-55, Appendices B through L.  If you would like to request coverage under one (1) of these NPDES General Permits, you are required to:

1.    Download, read, and understand the NPDES General Permit for which you would like to request coverage under. Please see below for the NPDES General Permits with Standard General Permit Conditions.

• HAR 11-55, Appendices B and A – NPDES General Permit Authorizing Discharges of Storm Water Associated with Industrial Activities (Expires December 5, 2017)
• HAR 11-55, Appendices C and A – NPDES General Permit Authorizing Discharges of Storm Water Associated with Construction Activities (Expires December 5, 2018)
• HAR 11-55, Appendices D and A – NPDES General Permit Authorizing Discharges of Treated Effluent from Leaking Underground Storage Tank Remedial Activities (Expires December 5, 2017)
• HAR 11-55, Appendices E and A – NPDES General Permit Authorizing Discharges of Once Through Cooling Water Less Than One (1) Million Gallons Per Day (Expires December 5, 2016)
• HAR 11-55, Appendices F and A – NPDES General Permit Authorizing Discharges of Hydrotesting Waters (Expires December 5, 2016)
• HAR 11-55, Appendices G and A – NPDES General Permit Authorizing Discharges Associated with Construction Activity Dewatering (Expires December 5, 2016)
• HAR 11-55, Appendices H and A – NPDES General Permit Authorizing Discharges of Treated Process Wastewater Associated with Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals (Expires December 5, 2017)
• HAR 11-55, Appendices I and A – NPDES General Permit Authorizing Discharges of Treated Process Wastewater Associated with Well Drilling Activities (Expires December 5, 2017)
• HAR 11-55, Appendices J and A – NPDES General Permit Authorizing Occasional or Unintentional Discharges from Recycled Water Systems  (Please contact the DOH, Wastewater Branch at 808-586-4294 if you wish to be covered under this NPDES General Permit.)
• HAR 11-55, Appendices K and A – NPDES General Permit Authorizing Discharges of Storm Water and Certain Non-Storm Water Discharges from Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (Expires December 5, 2016)
• HAR 11-55, Appendices L and A – NPDES General Permit Authorizing Discharges of Circulation Water from Decorative Ponds or Tanks (Expires December 5, 2018)

2.     Determine if your project/activity and your organization will comply with every requirement in the applicable NPDES General Permit.

3.     Only after you determine that you can comply and you understand your responsibilities and legal obligations, you may submit the CWB NOI Form through the e-Permitting Portal website at: https://eha-cloud.doh.hawaii.gov/epermit/.  You will be asked to do a one-time registration to obtain your login and password.  After you register, click on the Application Finder tool and locate the “CWB NOI Form.”  Follow the instructions to complete and submit this form. 

If you have any questions, please download and read the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) before contacting the DOH-CWB.  If you do not see an answer to your specific question in the FAQs, please contact the DOH-CWB, Engineering Section at (808) 586-4309.

• FAQs

Revisions to HAR, Chapter 11-54 (Water Quality Standards) and 11-55 (Water Pollution Control) Effective December 6, 2013

The DOH-CWB amended HAR, Chapters 11-54 and 11-55.  Please see below:

• HAR 11-54 (Effective December 6, 2013)
• HAR 11-55 (Effective December 6, 2013)
• HAR 11-54 Rationale
• HAR 11-55 Rationale
• Response to the August 21, 2013 Public Hearing Comments

2013 Vessel General Permit (VGP)

On March 28, 2013, EPA issued the 2013 VGP to authorize discharges incidental to the normal operations of commercial vessels.  The 2013 VGP has an effective date of December 19, 2013.  DOH-CWB has issued a Section 401 WQC (File No. WQC0833) for the 2013 VGP.  WQC0833 becomes effective on December 19, 2013. 

The Owner or Operator of a vessel seeking coverage under the 2013 VGP is required to submit the VGP DOH Notification Form through the e-Permitting Portal website.  You will be asked to do a one-time registration to obtain your login and password.  After you register, click on the Application Finder tool and locate the “VGP DOH Notification Form.”  Follow the instructions to complete and submit this form. 

As you are completing the VGP DOH Notification Form through the e-Permitting Portal, you will be required to download the Certification Statement for VGP DOH Notification Form.  Follow the instructions on this form, and mail or deliver this form to the DOH.  After you mail or deliver this form, check the status of your submission by pressing the History Link in the e-Permitting Portal.  If you see a status of “Issued,” you are covered under WQC0833 and are obligated to comply.  No further correspondence will be provided.  If needed, you can print your e-Permitting Submission History for your file records.

The e-Permitting Portal Section 401 WQC website contains:

• A link to the U.S. EPA VGP website.  Please visit the EPA website if you wish to obtain VGP coverage and submit a Notice of Intent through the EPA eNOI system.
• EPA contact information.  Please contact the EPA if you have any questions on the 2013 VGP.
• WQC0833.  If you have any questions on WQC0833, please read WQC0833 and review the VGP DOH Notification Form on the e-Permitting Portal before contacting the DOH-CWB at (808) 586-4309.

Small Vessel General Permit (sVGP)

EPA intends to finalize the sVGP later this year (2013).  DOH-CWB has issued a Section 401 WQC (File No. WQC0832) for the sVGP.  WQC0832 becomes effective on December 19, 2013. 

The e-Permitting Portal Section 401 WQC website contains:

•    A link to the U.S. EPA VGP website. 

•    EPA contact information.  Please contact the EPA if you have any questions on the sVGP.

•    WQC0832.  If you have any questions on WQC0832, please read WQC0832 before contacting the DOH-CWB at (808) 586-4309.

NPDES Pesticides General Permit

The Department of Health (DOH) issued a new NPDES General Permit on October 21, 2012, to authorize point source discharges from the application of pesticides (including insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, rodenticides, and various other substances to control pests) to State waters.  This NPDES Pesticides General Permit is in Hawaii Administrative Rules (HAR), Chapter 11-55, Appendix M.  Please see below for HAR 11-55, Appendix M (effective October 21, 2012) and the Standard NPDES General Permit Conditions.

• HAR 11-55 Appendix M

To request coverage under this NPDES General Permit, you must submit the CWB NOI Form M through the e-Permitting Portal website at:  https://eha-cloud.doh.hawaii.gov/epermit/.  You will be asked to do a one-time registration to obtain your login and password.  After you register, click on the Application Finder tool and locate the “CWB NOI Form M.”  Follow the instructions to complete and submit this form.