The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will ramp up audits and inspections of facilities with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits in Pennsylvania in 2024.
This increased oversight stems from a recent lawsuit between Maryland and the EPA over Pennsylvania’s shortcomings with meeting Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) pollution reduction goals.
As part of the settlement agreement, the EPA is required to enhance compliance-assurance activities in Pennsylvania’s Tier I Counties (Lancaster and York) and Tier II Counties (Franklin, Lebanon, Cumberland, Centre, and Bedford), including federal inspections, investigations, and compliance evaluations of NPDES-permitted sources.
NPDES permits are currently required for certain stormwater activities (construction, industrial, and municipal), small flow sewage treatment facilities, petroleum contaminated groundwater systems, combined sewer systems, beneficial use of biosolids, beneficial use of exceptional quality biosolids, beneficial use of residential septage, hydrostatic testing of tanks and pipelines, aquatic animal production facilities, concentrated animal feeding operations, and application of pesticides.
To stay informed on updates regarding the lawsuit and EPA agreement actions, you can visit the EPA’s Key Developments in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed webpage at: https://www.epa.gov/chesapeake-bay-tmdl/key-developments-chesapeake-bay-watershed.
ARRO’s Expertise Can Help Maintain Compliance
ARRO has extensive experience helping clients maintain compliance with NPDES permits and related plans. Our services include:
- Implementing Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit Minimum Control Measure (MCM) requirements
- Developing and implementing Pollutant Reduction Plans (PRPs) and TMDL Plans
- Conducting pre-audit assessments before formal state/federal inspections
- Addressing requirements from Consent Orders for past non-compliance
Contact ARRO today to ensure your facility is audit-ready!