[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 171 (Tuesday, September 6, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 53008]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-17614]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7964-8]


Reissuance of the NPDES General Permit for the Territorial Seas 
Off Texas (TXG260000)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of Final NPDES General Permit Reissuance.

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SUMMARY: The Regional Administrator of Region 6 today issues the final 
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) ``General 
Permit for the Territorial Seas off Texas'' (No. TXG260000) for 
discharges from existing and new dischargers and New Sources in the 
Offshore Subcategory of the Oil and Gas Extraction Point Source 
Category (40 CFR part 435, subpart A) as authorized by section 402 of 
the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. 1342. The permit supercedes the previous 
general permit (TX0085651) issued on September 15, 1983 and published 
in the Federal Register at 48 FR 41494. That permit authorized 
discharges from exploration, development, and production facilities 
located in and discharging to the territorial seas off Texas. Through 
this reissuance, EPA includes current technology and water quality 
based effluent limitations consistent with National Effluent 
Limitations Guidelines, Federal Ocean Discharge Criteria, and State 
Water Quality Standards.
    A copy of the Region's responses to comments and the final permit 
may be obtained by mail from the address listed below or from the EPA 
Region 6 Internet site: http://www.epa.gov/earth1r6/6wq/6wq.htm.
    A Record of Decision which completes the Environmental Assessment 
process required by the National Environmental Policy Act is also 
available at the above Internet address or by mail from the address 
listed below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Diane Smith, EPA Region 6, 1445 
Ross Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75202, Telephone: (214) 665-7191, or via e-
mail to the following address: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#a9dac4c0ddc187cdc0c8c7cce9ccd9c887cec6df"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="4c3f212538246228252d22290c293c2d622b233a">[email protected]</span></a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Regulated Entities. Entities potentially regulated by this action 
are those which operate offshore oil and gas extraction facilities 
located in the territorial seas off Texas.

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                                                Examples of regulated
                 Category                             entities
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Industry..................................  Offshore Oil and Gas
                                             Extraction Platforms.
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    This table lists the types of entities that EPA is now aware could 
potentially be regulated by this action. Other types of entities not 
listed in the table could also be regulated. To determine whether your 
(facility, company, business, organization, etc.) is regulated by this 
action, you should carefully examine the applicability criteria in part 
I. section A.1. of the general permit. If you have questions regarding 
the applicability of this action to a particular entity, consult the 
person listed in the preceding FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section.
    Pursuant to section 402 of the Clean Water Act (CWA), 33 U.S.C. 
1342, EPA proposed and solicited comments on NPDES general permit 
TXG260000 at 66 FR 29948 (November 17, 2003). Notice of this proposed 
permit was also published in the Houston Chronicle on November 20, 
2003. The comment period closed on January 16, 2004.
    Region 6 received comments from the Offshore Operators Committee, 
the International Association of Drilling Contractors, and the Railroad 
Commission of Texas.
    EPA Region 6 has considered all comments received. In response to 
those comments the following changes were made to the proposed permit. 
Ambient density stratification data were examined and the critical 
dilutions required for the produced water toxicity limits were 
recalculated. The proposed 48-hour acute toxicity limit was replaced 
with a seven day chronic toxicity limit in the final permit. An 
exemption for toxicity caused by total dissolved solids was included 
for the 24-hour acute toxicity limits. The permit allows collection of 
a single grab sample for toxicity testing. The State lease and well 
numbers are required to be reported on the notice of intent to be 
covered. Unmeasurable de minimis discharges of drilling fluids such as 
wind blown splatters from pipe racks are authorized. A number of minor 
typographical changes and clarifications were also made to the permit's 
language.

    Dated: August 26, 2005.
Miguel I. Flores,
Director, Water Quality Protection Division, Region 6.
[FR Doc. 05-17614 Filed 9-2-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P


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