NPDES Permit Archives

Jul 18, 2018

Georgia Court of Appeals Interprets Narrative Water Quality Standard for Odor and Color

At issue in Altamaha Riverkeeper, Inc. v. Rayonier Performance Fibers, LLC et al., 2018 WL 2947915, Case No. A18A0594 (Ga. App. June 13, 2018), was the definition of the phrase “interferes with legitimate water uses” in the narrative standard established by Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. r. 391-3-6-.03 (5)(c), which provides: “All waters shall be free from material related to municipal, industrial or other discharges which produce turbidity, color, odor or other objectionable conditions which interfere with legitimate water uses.” The Georgia Court of Appeals held that the trial court properly interpreted the water quality standard as prohibiting unreasonable interference… Read more

Oct 1, 2012

EPA Proposes Rule to Clarify that Logging Roads are Not Covered by the NPDES Permit Program

The United States Environmental Protection Agency is proposing revisions to its Phase I Storm Water Regulations to clarify that storm water discharges from logging roads do not constitute storm water discharge associated with industrial activity that require a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (“NPDES”) permit. The proposed rule is in response to a 2011, 9th Circuit case which held that discharges from logging roads are industrial storm water discharges requiring NPDES permits. The proposed rule would clarify that NPDES permits apply only to silvaculture facilities that are engaged in crushing rock, gravel washing, log sorting and log storage activities. The… Read more