Opinion ID: 1330450
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The NPDES Permit

Text: On December 27, 1994, the DEP's Office of Water Resources reissued a NPDES [5] permit to American Bituminous which authorized it, inter alia, to discharge untreated acid mine drainage from its surface mining operations under the coal permit, as well as cooling water and waste water from the power plant, into an underground mine abandoned by Eastern Associated Coal. The NPDES permit was issued pursuant to the Water Pollution Control Act found in W. Va.Code, 22-11-1, et seq., which requires, according to the DEP, the issuance of such a permit whenever there is a discharge of any amount of `pollutant,' [6] treated or untreated, from a `point source' [7] into the `waters' [8] of this state[.] (footnotes added). See W. Va. Code, 20-11-8(b) [1994]. Moreover, W. Va. Code, 22-11-8(d) [1994] makes clear that the Office of Water Resources (an office within the DEP) issues NPDES permits for all activities regulated under coal permits which discharge a pollutant from a point source into the waters of this State: For water pollution control and national pollutant discharge elimination system permits issued for activities regulated by the office of mining and reclamation and the office of oil and gas, the chief of the office of water resources may delegate functions, procedures and activities to the respective chiefs of those offices. Permits for such activities shall be issued under the supervision of and with the signature and approval of the chief of the office of water resources who shall review and approve all procedures, effluent limits and other conditions of such permits. (emphasis added). Any appeal regarding the Office of Water Resource's issuance of a NPDES permit must be made to the Environmental Quality Board. See W. Va.Code, 22-11-21 [1994]. [9]