 | Vol. 6 No. 4 Spring 1999 |
| A Newsletter About New Jersey's Water Quality Programs |
General Petroleum Clean-Up Permit Renewed
by Sue Rosenwinkle, Bureau of Point Source Permitting Region 2
On October 31, 1998, the Division of Water Quality renewed the NJPDES Master General Petroleum Products Clean-up (GPPC) permit for point source discharges to surface water. The permit has an effective date of December 1, 1998 and an expiration date of November 30, 2003. Commonly referred to as the "B4B" permit (B4B is the permit category), this general permit authorizes discharges of decontaminated groundwater into surface waters of the state or separate storm sewers. These discharges result from remediation projects and dewatering and pump test activities where groundwater has been contaminated by petroleum products.
Like most general permits, the GPPC permit offers a reduced processing time because a standard set of conditions, specific to this discharge type, were developed and issued at the same time (rather than issuing individually tailored permits for each discharger). In addition, individual requests for authorization do not require a public notice process-another time savings.
The primary changes to the renewal GPPC permit are as follows:
- Two additional compounds are addressed-ethyl tert butyl ether (MTBE) and tert butyl alcohol (TBA). These compounds are fuel oxygenate additives that are typically present in modern reformulated gasolines.
- Two additional discharge scenarios are included. These scenarios include remediation discharges to Category One and Pinelands waterbodies and remediation discharges into certain waters where other metals, volatile organics, acid extractables, or base/neutral compounds are present in addition to petroleum related constituents. In the event that a metal other than lead is regulated, biomonitoring requirements are applicable.
- The permit renewal does not include biomonitoring requirements for discharges resulting from strictly gasoline, fuel oil or diesel fuel contamination. This change was based on a review of the biomonitoring data collected under the previous, now expired, GPPC permit.
Applicants requesting authorization for coverage under this general permit will undergo an eligibility determination by the division. Eligible dischargers will receive an individual authorization.
To request an authorization under the renewal GPPC permit, see the guidance checklist and the necessary application forms on the division's web site at www.state.nj.us/dep/dwq. Additional information can be obtained by contacting the Bureaus of Point Source Permitting - Region 1 at (609) 633-3869, or Region 2 at (609) 292-4860.
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Last revision Wednesday, March 17, 1999