Background and Overviewof the 2013 Draft VGP andsVGPRyan AlbertRyanAlbertRobin DanesiJuhi SaxenaUS Environmental Protection Agency1/19/2012Guide to Our WebcastsGuidetoOurWebcasts• To Ask a Question–Typeyourquestion iny qthe text box located at the bottom of yourscreen• To Answer Poll Question–Click on the radiobutton to the left of your choice and clicksubmit. Do not type your answer in the“Ask asubmit.DonottypeyouranswerintheQuestion” box• To See Closed Captioning–Turnyourpop-gppup blocker off and click on the “closedcaptioning” buttonT C l t th E l tiA•ToCompletetheEvaluation–nswerquestions in the slide windowOutline•Background of NPDES permitting ofBackgroundofNPDESpermittingofdischarges incidental to the normaloperation of vessels operating in aoperationofvesselsoperatinginacapacity of transportation (DINOVs)• Overview of the Draft 2013 VGP•Overview of the Draft 2013 sVGPOverviewoftheDraft2013sVGPClean Water Act(CWA)Permit)BasicsFor more info visithttp://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/• “Discharge of a pollutant” generally prohibitedwithout apermit[CWA section 301(a)][ ( )]• National Pollutant Discharge EliminationSystem(NPDES)Permits[CWA section 402]( ) [ ]– Individual permits–General permitsGeneralpermits– Permit term not to exceed 5 yearsFor EPAissued permits State 401 certification–ForEPA-issuedpermits,State401certificationand CZMA concurrences requiredEstablishing NPDES EffluentLi imits•Effluent limits [CWA section 301(b)]Effluentlimits[CWAsection301(b)]– Technology-based [CWA section 304(b)](TBEL)• Generally, Best Available Technology (BAT)established on a BestProfessional Judgment (BPJ)ProfessionalJudgment(BPJ)basis– Water quality-based [CWAti 301(b)(1)( )] (WQBEL)section301(b)(1)(c)](WQBEL)• Generally, limit as stringentas necessaryto complywithpyapplicable water quality standardsBest Available TechnologyBestAvailableTechnology•Factors EPA uses to establish BestFactorsEPAusestoestablishBestAvailable Technology (BAT) include:cost of achieving BAT effluent reductions–costofachievingBATeffluentreductions,– the age of equipment and facilitiesi ldnvoved,– the process employed,– potential process changes, and–non-waterqualityenvironmental impacts,y p,including energy requirementsExclusions•Exclusions from NPDESExclusionsfromNPDESrequirements include:Vessels operating as a means of–Vesselsoperatingasameansoftransportation beyond 3 mile limit [CWASection 502(12)(B)]Section502(12)(B)]– Sewage from vessels or dischargesincidental to the normal operation ofincidentaltothenormaloperationofvessels of the Armed Forces, within themeaningof Section 312[CWA Section[502(6)(A)]Brief History and Key DatesBriefHistoryandKeyDates• September 18, 2006, a U.S District Court issued anorder revoking regulation (40 C.F.R. 122.3(a))effective in 2008–Incidental discharges from vessels required permits as ofIncidentaldischargesfromvesselsrequiredpermitsasofDec. 19, 2008• Summer 2008: Congress passes two bills– P.L. 110-288 exempts recreational vessels from NPDESpermitting and develops regulatory regime under Section312 of the Clean Water Act– P.L. 110-299 creates a temporary moratorium for vesselsless than 79 feet and commercial fishing vesselsregardless of size (except ballast water discharges)• December 18, 2008: EPA finalizes first VesselGeneral Permit (2008 VGP)Brief History and Key DatesBriefHistoryandKeyDates• 2009–2011: EPA develops technical information for nextVGP• December 15, 2010: EPA hosts listening session tocollect additional information for next VGP. EPA opens acollectadditionalinformationfornextVGP.EPAopensadocket to collect information• November 30, 2011: EPA proposes 2013 VGP andSmall Vessel General Permit (sVGP)SmallVesselGeneralPermit(sVGP)• February 21, 2012: Close of public comment period•By November 30, 2012: Finalize 2013 VGP and sVGPByNovember30,2012:Finalize2013VGPandsVGP• December 19, 2013: 2013 VGP and sVGP effective dateGoals• Use the best available science to inform ourdeterminations of appropriate technologybased and water-quality based limitations• Improve administrative efficiency wherefeasibleReduce permittee confusion–Reducepermitteeconfusion• Produce a permit for non-recreational, nonmilitary vessels less than 79 feet in casemilitaryvesselslessthan79feetincaseNPDES moratorium not extended beyondDecember 18, 2013– Effluent limits generally Best ManagementPractices (BMPs)Applicability• Vessel General Permit(VGP: non-recreational,)non-military vessels greater than 79 feet– Military vessels, including Navy and Coast Guardvessels are not covered and not impactedvessels,arenotcoveredandnotimpacted– Approximately 70,000 existing VGPvessels plus ~2,200 commercialfi hi l t th 79 f tfishing vessels greaterthan79feet• Small Vessel General Permit(sVGP): non-recreational,(sVGP):nonnon-military vesselsless than 79 feetA i t l 118 000 t–Approximately118,000to138,000 vessels eligible for coverageVGP: Key ImprovementsVGP:KeyImprovements•Ballast WaterBallastWater• Exhaust Gas Scrubber Effluent• Oil to Sea Interfaces (productsubstitution requirement)• Administrative Changes and EfficiencyImprovements– Combined Reporting–ReducingRedundancyy– Changes to InspectionsScience Advisory BoardB ll W S dBallastWaterStudy•EPA’Science Advisory Board (SAB) Panel Charge:sScienceAdvisoryBoard(SAB)PanelChargeevaluate the status of existing and potential shipboardballast water treatment technologies and their ability tomeet different discharge standards(Report finalized(pJuly 12, 2011)•SAB Report Key Conclusions: International MaritimeOrganization (IMO) standard is achievable from aOrganization(IMO)standardisachievablefromatechnology and testing standpoint– The state of technology does not support a TBEL limitmore stringent than IMO for shipboard treatment systems– Issue of Detection/Quantification below IMONational Academy ofSi S dciencesStudy•National Academyof Sciences NationalResearch Council (NAS) Charge:– The NAS study panel assessed methods toevaluate the risk of invasive species introductionsevaluatetheriskofinvasivespeciesintroductionsassociated with ballast water discharges(report finalized June 2, 2011)NAS R t K C l i•NASReportKeyConclusions:– Found our ability to adequately quantify risk suffersfrom a “profound lack of data”– Concluded that the IMO standard is “clearly a firststep forward” and that it “represents a significantreduction in concentrations beyond ballast waterreductioninconcentrationsbeyondballastwaterexchange”Ballast Water Limits in the VGPBallastWaterLimitsintheVGP• Establish numeric limits set at a range equivalentqto proposed USCG Phase I limit as TechnologyBased Effluent Limit (same as InternationalMaritime Organization (IMO) limits)MaritimeOrganization(IMO)limits)– Expressed as instantaneous maximumLargeSmallOrganismsToxigenicVibrioEschericiaIntestinalOrganisms(>50μm)Organisms(>10μand≤50μm)cholerae(O1&O139)EschericiacoliIntestinalenterococci<10perm3<10perml <1cfuper100ml<250cfuper100ml<100cfuper100ml• Found numeric Water Quality-Based EffluentLi it (WQBEL) i f ibl t l l tper100ml100mlLimit(WQBEL)infeasibleto calculateBallast Water Limit ApplicabilityBallastWaterLimitApplicability•Vessels for which the numeric TBEL doesVesselsforwhichthenumericTBELdoesnot apply; hence, limits are BMPs:–Unmanned,unpowered bargesp g– Confined Lakers–Short distance voyage vesselsShortdistancevoyagevessels– Seagoing/Inland vessels withless than 8 cubic meters ofballast water– Shipboard TechnologyE l ti P (STEP)EvaluationProgram(STEP)vesselsBallast WaterBallastWater• Four possible options to meet limits:– Use a treatment device– Use onshore treatment– Use potable water (from US and Canada only)– No discharge•IMOequivalent implementation schedule-equivalentimplementationscheduleVessel’s BallastWaterCapacityDateConstructedVessel’sComplianceDateNewvessels AfterJanuary1,2012 OndeliveryExistingvesselsLessthan1500m3BeforeJanuary1,2012Firstscheduled drydockingafter January1,20161500‐5000m3BeforeJanuary1,2012Firstscheduled drydockingafter January1,2014Greaterthan5000m3BeforeJanuary2012FirstscheduleddrydockingGreaterthan5000mJanuary1,scheduleddrydockingafter January1,2016Ballast Water MonitoringBallastWaterMonitoring• Monitoring requirements if using a treatment device– Functional• Goal is to test if the system functioning as designed(e.g., applying chlorine dose, filtering water)– Biological•E. coli, enterococci, and total heterotrophic bacteria–Active substance and residuals (for systems that use them)Activesubstanceandresiduals(forsystemsthatusethem)• Numeric limits for systems using chlorine, chlorine dioxide,ozone, and peracetic acid•Other parameters set at Gold Book values (if such systemsOtherparameterssetatGoldBookvalues(ifsuchsystemswere developed)– Reduced frequency monitoring schedule available if systemis one for which US government has high qualityffi /t i it t l d t f fl d i i t tiefficacy/toxicitytype approvaldatafromflag administrationor vendorBallast Water: AdditionalWQ b d iWQbasedrequirement•Certain vessels enteringCertainvesselsenteringthe Great Lakes mustconduct ballast waterexchange/saltwaterflushing in addition totreatment if they havetreatmentiftheyhavetaken on ballast fromfreshwater or brackishwater ecosystems withinthe previous monthInterim Ballast WaterR iequirements• Interim requirements must be met (Part 2.2.3.6) untilnumeric limits apply– Requirements fundamentally the same as the 2008 VGP•Interim requirements include:Interimrequirementsinclude:– Incorporating existing Coast Guard mandatorymanagement and exchange requirements– Mandatory saltwater flushing for all vessels with residualballast water and sediment (NOBOBs) coming fromoutside the USEEZ and 200 nm from shore– Mandatory exchange and flushing for vessels engaged inPacific nearshore voyages–Conducting exchange as early as practicableConductingexchangeasearlyaspracticableExhaust Gas Scrubber EffluentExhaustGasScrubberEffluent• Exhaust gas scrubber effluent is waste water that has beendi l i l husedin cleaning vesselexhaust gases• Make IMO voluntary guidelines mandatory–Guidelines include limits for pH turbidity nitrates and one PAHGuidelinesincludelimitsforpH,turbidity,nitrates,andonePAHcompound• Require monitoringA t bl f ti li it–Assure systems capable ofmeetinglimits– IMO guidelines do not currently contain total PAH and metallimits: may later find that limits may need to be added• Currently applicable to a handful of vessels– EPA trying to establish clear limits to providecertainty for system operators and assure thatdi h t l ft t ll ddischarges are notleftuncontrolledOil to Sea InterfacesOiltoSeaInterfaces• Oil to Sea interfaces include stern tubes, thrusters,hydraulic pitch propellers, wire rope lubrication, etc.• Stern tubes alone have been estimated to leak between4.6 to 28.6 million liters of oil annually into ports4.6to28.6millionlitersofoilannuallyintoportsworldwide• Increasing mandate for use of “environmentallyacceptable lubricants”(EALs) in US waters (vegetableacceptablelubricants(EALs)inUSwaters(vegetableoils, synthetic esters, and polyalkylene glycols)– For existing vessels, owner/operators must useenvironmentally acceptable lubricants in all oil to seaenvironmentallyacceptablelubricantsinalloiltoseainterfaces unless technologically infeasible.– New build vessels must use EALs in oil to sea interfacesBilgewater: Seeking CommentBilgewater:SeekingComment• Amongother things,EPA is seekingcomment ong, gpotential changes to the bilgewater dischargelimits (primarily for new build vessels)For Existing Oceangoing Vessels:–ForExistingOceangoingVessels:• Same requirements as the 2008 VGP, with additionaloption for vessels greater than 400 GT to dischargewithin 1 nm if less than 5 ppm (whether or notwithin1nmiflessthan5ppm(whetherornottechnologically infeasible to hold)– New Vessels• Discharge within 3 nm if <5 ppm for all new build vessels> 400 GT, otherwise may pump onshore or dischargeoutside 3 nm at a concentration less than 15 ppm• See Pages 58-70 of the VGP fact sheetReporting ImprovementsReportingImprovements• Annual Report– Eliminate One-Time Report and Annual Non-ComplianceReport and consolidate into Annual Report•EPA found that thousands of permittees were confused by theEPAfoundthatthousandsofpermitteeswereconfusedbytheannual noncompliance report– Report all analytical monitoring as part of Annual ReportRed ce freq enc of hen the m st s bmit information to EPA•ReducefrequencyofwhentheymustsubmitinformationtoEPAto one time per year– Allow unmanned, unpowered barges meeting certainrequirements to submit consolidated annual reportsrequirementstosubmitconsolidatedannualreports• Reduce duplicative reporting–Where immediate notification is reported to the NRC, nolonger need to also report to EPA regionsInspection ImprovementsInspectionImprovements• Eliminate quarterlyvisualmonitoring– Instead, require additionalanalytical monitoringfrom selectgvessel discharges from certainvessels (ballast water, exhaustgas scrubber, graywater)• Allow “Extended UnmannedVessel” inspections in lieu ofroutine vessel inspections forunmanned vessels– Reduced routine visual inspectionfrequency requested byfrequencyrequestedbypermittees with “fleeted” vesselsto reduce burdenGeneral EfficiencyImprovements• Reducing NOI processing time from 30 to7 days (for electronic filers only)• Developing electronic tools to submit allinformation/data– Requiring e-reporting unless specified exemptions apply• Making data submitted to the agency inelectronic form available to the public in electronic form• Clearly allow for and specify electronic recordkeepingrequirements– Requested by permittees asa way to reduce burden• For vessels who need not submit an NOI, sign andi t i f th VGP P it A th i ti dmaintain a copy ofthe sVGPPermitAuthorization andRecord of Inspection (PARI) formQUESTIONSSmall Vessel General Permit( VGP)sSmall Vessel General Permit(VGP)s(for non recreational, non military vessels < 79 feet)NPDES Permitting MoratoriumNPDESPermittingMoratorium• Senate Bill S. 3298(P.L. 110-299)– Signed on July 29, 2008 P.L. 110-299 placed amoratorium on NPDES permitting of non-BWdischarges from (1) commercial fishing vesselsdischargesfrom(1)commercialfishingvesselsregardless of size; (2) <79 foot non-recreationalvessels.Moratorium extended to December 18 2013 by P L–MoratoriumextendedtoDecember18,2013byP.L.111-215.– Among other things, P.L. 110-299 required EPA tof fassess dischargesrom commercialfishing vesselsand non-recreational vessels less than 79 feet thatwere subject to the NPDES exemption. EPAconducted this study and delivered the Report toconductedthisstudyanddeliveredtheReporttoCongress in August 2010.Report to CongressReporttoCongress• EPA was requested to examine 6 elements forindividual vessels and classes of vessels, including:– Concentration of pollutants in dischargesVolume of discharges–Volumeofdischarges– Location of discharges–Impact to the environment and human health from thosedischarges– Benefits from reducing theconcentration/loadingofpollutantspin those discharges to theenvironment and human health–Evaluation of existingU.S. lawsand regulations applicable todischargesStudy ComponentsStudyComponents•Literature reviewsLiteraturereviews• Sampling•Screening levelScreeninglevelmodeling•Data interpretationDatainterpretation• Legal summaries andinterpretationwww.epa.gov/npdes/vessels/reportcongress.cfmTypes of Vessels SampledTypesofVesselsSampled• Commercial Fishing Vessels– Ground fishery boats (trawlers/draggers)– ShrimpersL li T ll Gill tt P S i d T d–Longliners,Trollers,Gillnetters,PurseSeiners, andTenders• Tugboats•SulBoatspp y• Tow Salvage Boats• Tour Boats/Water Taxis• Fireboats• Recreational BoatsRlik b t•ec-likeboats(EPA boats in Gulf Breeze)Discharges SampledDischargesSampled• Fish hold/ice slurry• Cleaning of fish holds• Deck washdown/runoff• Bilgewater• Shaft packing gland discharge•Graywater compositesGraywatercomposites• Propulsion engine effluent• Generator engine effluent• Firemain• Source water and ambient samples from every area samplesare taken (to determine background concentrations)aretaken(todeterminebackgroundconcentrations)The Report’AnalysesTheReport sAnalyses•Interpretative TextInterpretativeText• Summary Statistics– More than 22,000 datapoints generated bylisampng.• Box Plots• Potential Hazard Quotients (PHQs)•Screening Model SummaryScreeningModelSummaryThe Report’s SummaryC lionclusions• Certain pollutants from vessel discharges subject to themoratorium are in elevated concentrations.• Generally discharges are in low or lower volumes.U lik l t ‘ l l ’ d f WQS i l•Unlikelyto‘solely’cause exceedance ofWQSinlargewaterbodies. However, cumulative impacts ofunregulated discharges may significantly contribute toexceedances for limited pollutants (e g copper) inexceedancesforlimitedpollutants(e.g.,copper)inlarge waterbodies.• Some pollutants/discharges more likely to causel li d i t i t i ll t b dilocalizedimpacts orimpactsin smallwaterbodies,particularly in water bodies with poor flushing, with otherpollutant sources, or with many vessels.sVGP• Eligible for coverage if less thanPart1– OverviewofPermit79 feet and have less than 8 cubicmeters of ballast water•Slightly different structure than VGPPart2– EffluentLimitationsandRelatedRequirementsP3Mi idSlightlydifferentstructurethanVGP– Draft Permit is less than 20 pageslongM t i t t i f ti f tPart3–MonitoringandRecordkeepingPart4– AdditionalRequirements–Mostimportantinformation upfront– Discharge limits in the middle–Standard Permit Conditions andRequirementsPart5– StateSpecificRequirementsPart6–DefinitionsStandardPermitConditionsandOther Requirements toward the end• Organized by management groupsrather than by discharge typesPart7– sVGPcontactsAppendixA– PermitAuthorizationandratherthanbydischargetypesRecordofInspectionFormPart 2 Effluent Limitationsand Related Requirements(example language)Management Area Highlighted managementpracticesinclude:2.1GeneralRequirements Oil,includingoilymixtures,maynotbedischargedinquantitiesmayharmfulvisiblequantitiesthatbeharmfulorcauseavisiblesheen2.2FuelManagement Regularlyinspectthefuelandhydraulicsystemsforanydamageorleaks,repair iffound.2 3EngineandOilControlPreferenceenvironmentallyacceptablelubricants.ControlPreferenceforenvironmentallyacceptablelubricants2.4 SolidandLiquidWasteManagementPreventmonofilamentline,fishingnets,lines,lures,rope,baitboxes,andhooksfromenteringanywastestreamcoveredbythispermitPart 2 Effluent Limitationsand Related Requirements(example language)Management Area Highlighted managementpracticesinclude:2.5 DeckWashdownandRunoffMinimizetheintroductionofondeckdebris,garbage,residuewashdownRunoffresidueandspillintodeckwashdownandrunoffdischarges.2.6 VesselHullMaintenanceMustusephosphatefree,non‐toxicsoaps2.7 Graywater Minimizegraywaterdischargesinareasthathaveheavyvesseltrafficorrecreationaluseandinmarinesanctuaries,nationalwildliferefuges,nationalwildandscenicrivers,andnationalwildernessareas.2.8 FishHoldEffluent Minimizedischargeoffishholdordirtyicewhileinport.Ifonshoretreatmentavailable, mustuseit.Part 2 Effluent Limitationsand Related Requirements(example language)Management Area Highlighted managementpracticesinclude:2.9 Ballast Water Whenfeasible,useone ofthefollowingmeasurestoreducethepotentialtransferintroductionorganismspotentialtransferorintroductionoforganismstowatersoftheU.S.:•Usepotablewaterforballasting•Utilizeonshore treatmentordisposalmethodsforballastwater•Forvesselsthatconductfixedroutes,captureandreuseballastwaterineachport.2.10 Seawater CoolingMinimizethermalimpactstothereceivingwatersbyOverboardDischarge discharging seawatercoolingoverboardwhilethevesselisunderway.Monitoring and RecordkeepingMonitoringandRecordkeeping•Vessel owner/operator must:Vesselowner/operatormust:– Read and follow the sVGP by implementing allapplicable permit requirements– Sign and maintain a copy of the sVGP PermitAuthorization and Record of Inspection (PARI)form• Acknowledgement and Certification statementsC ti ti d lli f•Corrective action andannualnon-companceforms– Conduct quarterly visual inspections each yeard t PARI f•documentonPARIformSubmitting CommentsSubmittingComments• 75 day Public comment period ends February 21, 2012• Submit yourVGPcomments, identified by Docket ID No.EPA-HQ-OW-2011-0141, orsVGPcomments, identified byDocket ID No.EPA-HQ-OW-2011-0150by one of the followingth dmeods:–www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line instructions for submittingcomments.–Email:ow-docket@epa.gov.– Mail: Original and three copies to: Water Docket, EnvironmentalProtection Agency, Mail Code: 2822T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave.,NW Washington DC 20460NW,Washington,DC20460.– Hand Delivery: EPA Docket Center, Public Reading Room, EPAHeadquarters West Building, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave.,NW,Washington,DC20460.Suchdeliveriesareonlyacceptedas gto , C 0 60 Suc de e es a e o y acceptedduring the Docket’s normal hours of operation, and specialarrangements should be made for deliveries of boxed information.Written Public CommentWrittenPublicComment•EPA is specifically seeking comment on theEPAisspecificallyseekingcommentontheprovisions discussed above, in addition toother specific questions posed (see Dec. 8,2011 FR notice for list)• Permits, fact sheets, and additionalinformation are available at:www.epa.gov/npdes/vesselsQuestions?QUESTIONSContact InformationContactInformationForquestionsontheVGP:VGP@epa.govForquestionsonthesVGP:sVGP@epa.gov• Ryan Albert, Ph.D., EPA's WaterPermits Division• Robin Danesi, EPA’s Water PermitsDivision•Juhi Saxena, EPA’Water PermitsJuhiSaxena,EPAsWaterPermitsDivision