Source: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/33/1342
Timestamp: 2019-04-26 15:58:56+00:00

Document:
Except as provided in sections 1328 and 1344 of this title, the Administrator may, after opportunity for public hearing issue a permit for the discharge of any pollutant, or combination of pollutants, notwithstanding section 1311(a) of this title, upon condition that such discharge will meet either (A) all applicable requirements under sections 1311, 1312, 1316, 1317, 1318, and 1343 of this title, or (B) prior to the taking of necessary implementing actions relating to all such requirements, such conditions as the Administrator determines are necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter.
The Administrator shall prescribe conditions for such permits to assure compliance with the requirements of paragraph (1) of this subsection, including conditions on data and information collection, reporting, and such other requirements as he deems appropriate.
The permit program of the Administrator under paragraph (1) of this subsection, and permits issued thereunder, shall be subject to the same terms, conditions, and requirements as apply to a State permit program and permits issued thereunder under subsection (b) of this section.
All permits for discharges into the navigable waters issued pursuant to section 407 of this title shall be deemed to be permits issued under this subchapter, and permits issued under this subchapter shall be deemed to be permits issued under section 407 of this title, and shall continue in force and effect for their term unless revoked, modified, or suspended in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
No permit for a discharge into the navigable waters shall be issued under section 407 of this title after October 18, 1972. Each application for a permit under section 407 of this title, pending on October 18, 1972, shall be deemed to be an application for a permit under this section. The Administrator shall authorize a State, which he determines has the capability of administering a permit program which will carry out the objectives of this chapter to issue permits for discharges into the navigable waters within the jurisdiction of such State. The Administrator may exercise the authority granted him by the preceding sentence only during the period which begins on October 18, 1972, and ends either on the ninetieth day after the date of the first promulgation of guidelines required by section 1314(i)(2) of this title, or the date of approval by the Administrator of a permit program for such State under subsection (b) of this section, whichever date first occurs, and no such authorization to a State shall extend beyond the last day of such period. Each such permit shall be subject to such conditions as the Administrator determines are necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter. No such permit shall issue if the Administrator objects to such issuance.
To insure that any industrial user of any publicly owned treatment works will comply with sections 1284(b), 1317, and 1318 of this title.
Not later than ninety days after the date on which a State has submitted a program (or revision thereof) pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, the Administrator shall suspend the issuance of permits under subsection (a) of this section as to those discharges subject to such program unless he determines that the State permit program does not meet the requirements of subsection (b) of this section or does not conform to the guidelines issued under section 1314(i)(2) of this title. If the Administrator so determines, he shall notify the State of any revisions or modifications necessary to conform to such requirements or guidelines.
Any State permit program under this section shall at all times be in accordance with this section and guidelines promulgated pursuant to section 1314(i)(2) of this title.
Whenever the Administrator determines after public hearing that a State is not administering a program approved under this section in accordance with requirements of this section, he shall so notify the State and, if appropriate corrective action is not taken within a reasonable time, not to exceed ninety days, the Administrator shall withdraw approval of such program. The Administrator shall not withdraw approval of any such program unless he shall first have notified the State, and made public, in writing, the reasons for such withdrawal.
a State partial permit program approved under subsection (n)(4) only if an entire phased component of the permit program being administered by the State at the time is returned or withdrawn.
Each State shall transmit to the Administrator a copy of each permit application received by such State and provide notice to the Administrator of every action related to the consideration of such permit application, including each permit proposed to be issued by such State.
No permit shall issue (A) if the Administrator within ninety days of the date of his notification under subsection (b)(5) of this section objects in writing to the issuance of such permit, or (B) if the Administrator within ninety days of the date of transmittal of the proposed permit by the State objects in writing to the issuance of such permit as being outside the guidelines and requirements of this chapter. Whenever the Administrator objects to the issuance of a permit under this paragraph such written objection shall contain a statement of the reasons for such objection and the effluent limitations and conditions which such permit would include if it were issued by the Administrator.
The Administrator may, as to any permit application, waive paragraph (2) of this subsection.
In any case where, after December 27, 1977, the Administrator, pursuant to paragraph (2) of this subsection, objects to the issuance of a permit, on request of the State, a public hearing shall be held by the Administrator on such objection. If the State does not resubmit such permit revised to meet such objection within 30 days after completion of the hearing, or, if no hearing is requested within 90 days after the date of such objection, the Administrator may issue the permit pursuant to subsection (a) of this section for such source in accordance with the guidelines and requirements of this chapter.
The Administrator shall not require a permit under this section nor directly or indirectly require any State to require a permit under this section for a discharge from runoff resulting from the conduct of the following silviculture activities conducted in accordance with standard industry practice: nursery operations, site preparation, reforestation and subsequent cultural treatment, thinning, prescribed burning, pest and fire control, harvesting operations, surface drainage, or road construction and maintenance.
Nothing in this paragraph exempts a discharge from silvicultural activity from any permitting requirement under section 1344 of this title, existing permitting requirements under section 1342 of this title, or from any other federal law.
The authorization provided in Section  1365(a) of this title does not apply to any non-permitting program established under 1342(p)(6)  of this title for the silviculture activities listed in 1342(l)(3)(A)  of this title, or to any other limitations that might be deemed to apply to the silviculture activities listed in 1342(l)(3)(A)  of this title.
To the extent a treatment works (as defined in section 1292 of this title) which is publicly owned is not meeting the requirements of a permit issued under this section for such treatment works as a result of inadequate design or operation of such treatment works, the Administrator, in issuing a permit under this section, shall not require pretreatment by a person introducing conventional pollutants identified pursuant to section 1314(a)(4) of this title into such treatment works other than pretreatment required to assure compliance with pretreatment standards under subsection (b)(8) of this section and section 1317(b)(1) of this title. Nothing in this subsection shall affect the Administrator’s authority under sections 1317 and 1319 of this title, affect State and local authority under sections 1317(b)(4) and 1370 of this title, relieve such treatment works of its obligations to meet requirements established under this chapter, or otherwise preclude such works from pursuing whatever feasible options are available to meet its responsibility to comply with its permit under this section.
A partial permit program under this subsection shall cover, at a minimum, administration of a major category of the discharges into the navigable waters of the State or a major component of the permit program required by subsection (b).
the Administrator determines that the partial program represents a significant and identifiable part of the State program required by subsection (b).
the State submits, and the Administrator approves, a plan for the State to assume administration by phases of the remainder of the State program required by subsection (b) by a specified date not more than 5 years after submission of the partial program under this subsection and agrees to make all reasonable efforts to assume such administration by such date.
the permittee has installed the treatment facilities required to meet the effluent limitations in the previous permit and has properly operated and maintained the facilities but has nevertheless been unable to achieve the previous effluent limitations, in which case the limitations in the reviewed, reissued, or modified permit may reflect the level of pollutant control actually achieved (but shall not be less stringent than required by effluent guidelines in effect at the time of permit renewal, reissuance, or modification).
Subparagraph (B) shall not apply to any revised waste load allocations or any alternative grounds for translating water quality standards into effluent limitations, except where the cumulative effect of such revised allocations results in a decrease in the amount of pollutants discharged into the concerned waters, and such revised allocations are not the result of a discharger eliminating or substantially reducing its discharge of pollutants due to complying with the requirements of this chapter or for reasons otherwise unrelated to water quality.
A discharge with respect to which a permit has been issued under this section before February 4, 1987.
A discharge associated with industrial activity.
A discharge from a municipal separate storm sewer system serving a population of 250,000 or more.
A discharge from a municipal separate storm sewer system serving a population of 100,000 or more but less than 250,000.
A discharge for which the Administrator or the State, as the case may be, determines that the stormwater discharge contributes to a violation of a water quality standard or is a significant contributor of pollutants to waters of the United States.
shall require controls to reduce the discharge of pollutants to the maximum extent practicable, including management practices, control techniques and system, design and engineering methods, and such other provisions as the Administrator or the State determines appropriate for the control of such pollutants.
establishing procedures and methods to control stormwater discharges to the extent necessary to mitigate impacts on water quality.
Each permit, order, or decree issued pursuant to this chapter after December 21, 2000, for a discharge from a municipal combined storm and sanitary sewer shall conform to the Combined Sewer Overflow Control Policy signed by the Administrator on April 11, 1994 (in this subsection referred to as the “CSO control policy”).
Not later than July 31, 2001, and after providing notice and opportunity for public comment, the Administrator shall issue guidance to facilitate the conduct of water quality and designated use reviews for municipal combined sewer overflow receiving waters.
Not later than September 1, 2001, the Administrator shall transmit to Congress a report on the progress made by the Environmental Protection Agency, States, and municipalities in implementing and enforcing the CSO control policy.
No permit shall be required under this chapter by the Administrator (or a State, in the case of a permit program approved under subsection (b)) for the discharge of any graywater, bilge water, cooling water, weather deck runoff, oil water separator effluent, or effluent from properly functioning marine engines, or any other discharge that is incidental to the normal operation of a vessel, if the discharge is from a recreational vessel.
In this subsection, the term “integrated plan” means a plan developed in accordance with the Integrated Municipal Stormwater and Wastewater Planning Approach Framework, issued by the Environmental Protection Agency and dated June 5, 2012.
The Administrator (or a State, in the case of a permit program approved by the Administrator) shall inform municipalities of the opportunity to develop an integrated plan that may be incorporated into a permit under this section.
a water quality-based effluent limitation to implement an applicable wasteload allocation in a total maximum daily load.
meets the requirements of section 122.47 of title 40, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on January 14, 2019).
For purposes of subparagraph (A)(ii), the requirement of section 122.47 of title 40, Code of Federal Regulations, for compliance by an applicable statutory deadline under this chapter does not prohibit implementation of an applicable water quality-based effluent limitation over more than 1 permit term.
A schedule of compliance incorporated into a permit issued under this section may be reviewed at the time the permit is renewed to determine whether the schedule should be modified.
Nothing in this subsection modifies any obligation to comply with applicable technology and water quality-based effluent limitations under this chapter.
Nothing in this subsection reduces or eliminates any flexibility available under this chapter, including the authority of a State to revise a water quality standard after a use attainability analysis under section 131.10(g) of title 40, Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation), subject to the approval of the Administrator under section 1313(c) of this title.
Nothing in section 1311(b)(1)(C) of this title precludes a State from authorizing in the water quality standards of the State the issuance of a schedule of compliance to meet water quality-based effluent limitations in permits that incorporate provisions of an integrated plan.
In any case in which a discharge is subject to a judicial order or consent decree, as of January 14, 2019, resolving an enforcement action under this chapter, any schedule of compliance issued pursuant to an authorization in a State water quality standard may not revise a schedule of compliance in that order or decree to be less stringent, unless the order or decree is modified by agreement of the parties and the court.
2019—Subsec. (s). Pub. L. 115–436 added subsec. (s).
2014—Subsec. (l)(3). Pub. L. 113–79 added par. (3).
2008—Subsec. (r). Pub. L. 110–288 added subsec. (r).
2000—Subsec. (q). Pub. L. 106–554 added subsec. (q).
1992—Subsec. (p)(1), (6). Pub. L. 102–580 substituted “October 1, 1994” for “October 1, 1992” in par. (1) and “October 1, 1993” for “October 1, 1992” in par. (6).
1987—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 100–4, § 404(c), inserted cl. (A) and (B) designations.
Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 100–4, § 403(b)(2), substituted “as to those discharges” for “as to those navigable waters”.
Subsec. (c)(4). Pub. L. 100–4, § 403(b)(1), added par. (4).
Subsec. (l). Pub. L. 100–4, § 401, inserted “Limitation on permit requirement” as subsec. heading designated existing provisions as par. (1) and inserted par. heading, added par. (2), and aligned pars. (1) and (2).
Subsecs. (m) to (p). Pub. L. 100–4, §§ 402, 403(a), 404(a), 405, added subsecs. (m) to (p).
1977—Subsec. (a)(5). Pub. L. 95–217, § 50, substituted “section 1314(i)(2)” for “section 1314(h)(2)”.
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 95–217, § 50, substituted in provisions preceding par. (1) “subsection (i)(2) of section 1314” for “subsection (h)(2) of section 1314”.
Subsec. (b)(8). Pub. L. 95–217, § 54(c)(1), inserted reference to identification in terms of character and volume of pollutants of any significant source introducing pollutants subject to pretreatment standards under section 1317(b) of this title into treatment works and programs to assure compliance with pretreatment standards by each source.
Subsec. (c)(1), (2). Pub. L. 95–217, § 50, substituted “section 1314(i)(2)” for “section 1314(h)(2)”.
Subsec. (d)(2). Pub. L. 95–217, § 65(b), inserted provision requiring that, whenever the Administrator objects to the issuance of a permit under subsec. (d)(2) of this section, the written objection contain a statement of the reasons for the objection and the effluent limitations and conditions which the permit would include if it were issued by the Administrator.
Subsec. (d)(4). Pub. L. 95–217, § 65(a), added par. (4).
Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 95–217, § 50, substituted “subsection (i)(2) of section 1314” for “subsection (h)(2) of section 1314”.
Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 95–217, § 66, substituted “where no State program is approved or where the Administrator determines pursuant to section 1319(a) of this title that a State with an approved program has not commenced appropriate enforcement action with respect to such permit,” for “where no State program is approved,”.
Subsec. (l). Pub. L. 95–217, § 33(c), added subsec. (l).
Enforcement functions of Administrator or other official of the Environmental Protection Agency under this section relating to compliance with national pollutant discharge elimination system permits with respect to pre-construction, construction, and initial operation of transportation system for Canadian and Alaskan natural gas were transferred to the Federal Inspector, Office of Federal Inspector for the Alaska Natural Gas Transportation System, until the first anniversary of the date of initial operation of the Alaska Natural Gas Transportation System, see Reorg. Plan No. 1 of 1979, §§ 102(a), 203(a), 44 F.R. 33663, 33666, 93 Stat. 1373, 1376, effective July 1, 1979, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees. Office of Federal Inspector for the Alaska Natural Gas Transportation System abolished and functions and authority vested in Inspector transferred to Secretary of Energy by section 3012(b) of Pub. L. 102–486, set out as an Abolition of Office of Federal Inspector note under section 719e of Title 15, Commerce and Trade. Functions and authority vested in Secretary of Energy subsequently transferred to Federal Coordinator for Alaska Natural Gas Transportation Projects by section 720d(f) of Title 15.
Pub. L. 110–299, §§ 1, 2, July 31, 2008, 122 Stat. 2995, as amended by Pub. L. 111–215, § 1, July 30, 2010, 124 Stat. 2347; Pub. L. 112–213, title VII, § 703, Dec. 20, 2012, 126 Stat. 1580; Pub. L. 113–281, title VI, § 602, Dec. 18, 2014, 128 Stat. 3061; Pub. L. 115–100, § 1, Jan. 3, 2018, 131 Stat. 2245, which exempted from permit requirements, for the period from July 31, 2008, through Jan. 19, 2018, discharges incidental to the normal operation of vessels, subject to certain exceptions, was repealed by Pub. L. 115–282, title IX, § 903(a)(2)(A)(ii), Dec. 4, 2018, 132 Stat. 4354.
Notwithstanding the requirements of sections 402(p)(2)(B), (C), and (D) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act [33 U.S.C. 1342(p)(2)(B), (C), (D)], permit application deadlines for stormwater discharges associated with industrial activities from facilities that are owned or operated by a municipality shall be established by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (hereinafter in this section referred to as the ‘Administrator’) pursuant to the requirements of this section.
The Administrator shall require individual permit applications for discharges described in subsection (a) on or before October 1, 1992; except that any municipality that has participated in a timely part I group application for an industrial activity discharging stormwater that is denied such participation in a group application or for which a group application is denied shall not be required to submit an individual application until the 180th day following the date on which the denial is made.
part II applications on or before October 1, 1992, except that any municipality with a population of less than 250,000 shall not be required to submit a part II application before May 17, 1993.
The Administrator shall not require any municipality with a population of less than 100,000 to apply for or obtain a permit for any stormwater discharge associated with an industrial activity other than an airport, powerplant, or uncontrolled sanitary landfill owned or operated by such municipality before October 1, 1992, unless such permit is required by section 402(p)(2)(A) or (E) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act [33 U.S.C. 1342(p)(2)(A), (E)].
For the purposes of this section, the term ‘uncontrolled sanitary landfill’ means a landfill or open dump, whether in operation or closed, that does not meet the requirements for run-on and run-off controls established pursuant to subtitle D of the Solid Waste Disposal Act [42 U.S.C. 6941 et seq.].
Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect any application or permit requirement, including any deadline, to apply for or obtain a permit for stormwater discharges subject to section 402(p)(2)(A) or (E) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act [33 U.S.C. 1342(p)(2)(A), (E)].
for which the Administrator is proposing to revise the applicability of the effluent limitation established under section 301(b) of such Act [33 U.S.C. 1311(b)] for phosphate subcategory of the fertilizer manufacturing point source category to exclude such facilities.
The Administrator and Secretary of the Army shall enter into an agreement regarding coordination of permitting for log transfer facilities to designate a lead agency and to process permits required under sections 402 and 404 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act [33 U.S.C. 1342, 1344], where both such sections apply, for discharges associated with the construction and operation of log transfer facilities. The Administrator and Secretary are authorized to act in accordance with the terms of such agreement to assure that, to the maximum extent practicable, duplication, needless paperwork and delay in the issuance of permits, and inequitable enforcement between and among facilities in different States, shall be eliminated.
Where both of sections 402 and 404 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act [33 U.S.C. 1342, 1344] apply, log transfer facilities which have received a permit under section 404 of such Act before October 22, 1985, shall not be required to submit a new application for a permit under section 402 of such Act. If the Administrator determines that the terms of a permit issued on or before October 22, 1985, under section 404 of such Act satisfies the applicable requirements of sections 301, 302, 306, 307, 308, and 403 of such Act [33 U.S.C. 1311, 1312, 1316, 1317, 1318, and 1343], a separate application for a permit under section 402 of such Act shall not thereafter be required. In any case where the Administrator demonstrates, after an opportunity for a hearing, that the terms of a permit issued on or before October 22, 1985, under section 404 of such Act do not satisfy the applicable requirements of sections 301, 302, 306, 307, 308, and 403 of such Act, modifications to the existing permit under section 404 of such Act to incorporate such applicable requirements shall be issued by the Administrator as an alternative to issuance of a separate new permit under section 402 of such Act.
Pub. L. 95–217, § 54(c)(2), Dec. 27, 1977, 91 Stat. 1591, provided that any State permit program approved under this section before Dec. 27, 1977, which required modification to conform to the amendment made by section 54(c)(1) of Pub. L. 95–217, which amended subsec. (b)(8) of this section, not be required to be modified before the end of the one year period which began on Dec. 27, 1977, unless in order to make the required modification a State must amend or enact a law in which case such modification not be required for such State before the end of the two year period which began on Dec. 27, 1977.

References: § 404
 § 403
 § 403
 § 401
 § 50
 § 50
 § 54
 § 50
 § 65
 § 65
 § 50
 § 66
 § 33
 § 1
 § 703
 § 602
 § 1
 § 903
 § 54