The Division of Water Quality's Basic Industrial Stormwater General Permit (NJ0088315), which was renewed and became effective May 1, 2002, has been expanded to include industrial stormwater discharges to ground water. This general permit has been available for almost ten years and is the principal stormwater permitting option for over 1,650 industrial facilities throughout the State.

The original general permit, required pursuant to the Federal Clean Water Act and the New Jersey Water Pollution Control Act, focused on point source discharges of stormwater to surface water. The first permit renewal in 1997 expanded the permit to include the regulation of nonpoint sources of pollution. Now, there is increased concern regarding the protection of our State's ground water resources as the demand for ground water and incidences of ground water contamination have been on the rise. It is estimated that at least 50 percent of the State's drinking water comes from ground water sources.

One of the primary sources of ground water contamination is industrial facilities. As a result, the DEP identified the need to regulate industrial stormwater discharges to ground water as well. It is anticipated that as many as 1,000 additional industrial facilities will be eligible for this expanded general permit.

Existing permittees authorized under the Basic Industrial Stormwater General Permit will have 24 months to comply with the additional discharge to ground water requirement, if applicable. First-time facilities requesting authorization under the renewed general permit will initially develop and implement a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SPPP). Plan development must be certified as complete within six (6) months and plan implementation within eighteen (18) months of the permit authorization date.

Existing permittees, that do not require further site improvements to achieve compliance with the new discharge to ground water requirement, will be assigned a specific three month calendar quarter in which to submit their annual re-certification. In submitting the annual re-certification form, a responsible entity attests that a facility SPPP is accurate, current, fully implemented, and working effectively to eliminate stormwater exposure to all industrial materials and activities that will discharge to surface or ground waters. These new assigned reporting periods will be based on a facility's original permit authorization date. Companies having more than one facility in New Jersey can request all facilities be on the same reporting schedule, if desired.

For more information on the renewed Basic Industrial Stormwater General Permit requirements, please check out www.njstormwater.org or contact the Bureau of Nonpoint Pollution Control at 609-633-7021.