Virginia Environmental Regulatory Developments (October 2013)

BY:  CHANNING J. MARTIN, LYNNE C. RHODE & JOHN W. DANIEL II

STATE AIR POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD

A.     Fast-Track Regulations

1.       9VAC5-10. General Definitions (rev. G12) (amending 9VAC5-10-20).

Statutory Authority: § 10.1-1308 of the Code of Virginia.

Effective Date: December 5, 2013.

Summary:   The amendment revises the definition of volatile organic compound (VOC) to add trans-1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene (also known as HFO-1234ze) to the list of substances not considered to be VOCs. The amendment comports with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's revised definition of VOC published in 77 FR 37610-37614.

VIRGINIA WASTE MANAGEMENT BOARD

A.     Fast-Track Regulations

1.       9VAC20-81. Solid Waste Management Regulations (amending 9VAC20-81-95).

Statutory Authority: § 10.1-1402 of the Code of Virginia; 42 USC 6941 et seq.; 40 CFR Part 258.

Effective Date: December 5, 2013.

Summary:   The amendment lists the open burning of certain solid waste by activities that are exempt from 9VAC20-81 (Solid Waste Management Regulations). Previously, these exemptions were incorporated into the regulation by a reference to the State Air Pollution Control Board's Open Burning Regulations (9VAC5-130).

STATE WATER CONTROL BOARD

A.     Final Regulations

1.       9VAC25-31. Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (VPDES) Permit Regulation (amending 9VAC25-31-100, 9VAC25-31-130, 9VAC25-31-170, 9VAC25-31-200, 9VAC25-31-400).

Statutory Authority: § 62.1-44.15 of the Code of Virginia; § 402 of the federal Clean Water Act; 40 CFR Parts 122, 123, 124, 403, and 503.

Effective Date: November 20, 2013.

Summary:  The existing regulation has been amended, where applicable, to reflect changes to 40 CFR 122.23 published in the Federal Register in 77 FR 44494, dated July 30, 2012. This amendment removes the requirement to apply for and obtain a VPDES permit if the concentrated animal feeding operation "proposes to discharge," clarifies the responsibility to apply for and get a permit prior to discharging, and removes separate permit deadlines and permit coverage requirements applicable to CAFO operations.

2.       9VAC25-800. Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (VPDES) General Permit for Discharges Resulting from the Application of Pesticides to Surface Waters (amending 9VAC25-800-10, 9VAC25-800-20, 9VAC25-800-30, 9VAC25-800-60; adding 9VAC25-800-15).

Statutory Authority: § 62.1-44.15 of the Code of Virginia; § 402 of the federal Clean Water Act.

Effective Date: January 1, 2014.

Summary:   This action reissues the existing VPDES general permit that expires on December 31, 2013. The permit must be reissued to make coverage under the general permit available to operators after December 31, 2013. The existing regulation contains the general permit requirements to control point source discharges of chemical pesticide residues and biological pesticides applied in or over, including near, surface waters.

The following pesticide uses are covered under the general permit as they are most likely to reach surface waters:

1. Mosquito and other flying insect pest control;

2. Weed and algae pest control;

3. Animal pest control;

4. Forest canopy pest control; and

5. Intrusive vegetation pest control.

Changes include updates to narrative technology and water quality based permit requirements, monitoring requirements, pesticide discharge management plans, and special conditions (corrective actions, adverse incidents, and recordkeeping and reporting). The changes are based on the 2011 EPA Pesticide General Permit (PGP) for Discharges from the Application of Pesticides, technical advisory committee recommendations, public comment, and agency needs.

3.       9VAC25-600. Designated Groundwater Management Areas (amending 9VAC25-600-10, 9VAC25-600-20).

Statutory Authority: § 62.1-256 of the Code of Virginia.

Effective Date: January 1, 2014.

Summary:   The amendments include the following additional localities in the Eastern Virginia Groundwater Management Area: the counties of Essex, Gloucester, King George, King and Queen, Lancaster, Mathews, Middlesex, Northumberland, Richmond, and Westmoreland and those portions of the counties of Arlington, Caroline, Fairfax, Prince William, Spotsylvania, and Stafford that are located east of Interstate 95.

4.       9VAC25-610. Ground Water Withdrawal Regulations (amending 9VAC25-610-10 through 9VAC25-610-170, 9VAC25-610-190, 9VAC25-610-220, 9VAC25-610-240 through 9VAC25-610-350, 9VAC25-610-370, 9VAC25-610-380, 9VAC25-610-390; adding 9VAC25-610-85, 9VAC25-610-92, 9VAC25-610-94, 9VAC25-610-96, 9VAC25-610-98, 9VAC25-610-102, 9VAC25-610-104, 9VAC25-610-106, 9VAC25-610-108; repealing 9VAC25-610-400).

Statutory Authority: § 62.1-256 of the Code of Virginia.

Effective Date: January 1, 2014.

Summary:   The regulations are amended to be more consistent with administrative and application processing practices currently used in other water permit program regulations. The application requirements for different types of permits and situations are separated into different regulatory sections to provide more clarity concerning the requirements for complete applications. New sections are added to address surface water and groundwater conjunctive use permits and supplemental drought relief permits. The water conservation and management plan section is revised to specify the conservation measures and requirements that must be met depending on the use of the groundwater. The regulations also now identify information to be provided to ensure that the need for the groundwater is documented and that alternatives to using groundwater are investigated and considered. A section is added allowing the agency to estimate an area of impact for mitigation of a small withdrawal based on available modeled information instead of requiring geotechnical investigations to occur. The regulations are also revised to be consistent with current agency guidance concerning the 80% drawdown criteria evaluation. Additional permit conditions are specified in the regulations that will be applicable to all permits, which will clarify the requirements that groundwater withdrawers must meet. Clarifying changes, based on public comments during the public comment period, have been made to the regulation since the proposed stage.

B.     Forms

9VAC25-32. Virginia Pollution Abatement (VPA) Permit Regulation.

• Virginia Pollution Abatement Permit Application, General Instructions (rev. 4/09)
• Virginia Pollution Abatement Permit Application, Form A, All Applicants (rev. 4/09)
• Virginia Pollution Abatement Permit Application, Form B, Animal Waste (rev. 10/95)
• Virginia Pollution Abatement Permit Application, Form C, Industrial Waste (rev. 10/95)
• Virginia Pollution Abatement Permit Application, Form D, Municipal Effluent and Biosolids Cover Page (rev. 6/13):
• Part D-I: Land Application of Municipal Effluent (rev. 4/09)
• Part D-II: Land Application of Biosolids (rev. 10/13)
• Part D-III: Effluent Characterization Form (rev.4/09)
• Part D-IV: Biosolids Characterization Form (rev. 6/13)
• Part D-V: Non-Hazardous Waste Declaration (rev. 6/13)
• Part D-VI: Land Application Agreement - Biosolids and Industrial Residuals (rev. 9/12)
• Part D-VII: Request for Extended Setback from Biosolids Land Application Field (rev. 10/11)
• Application for Land Application Supervisor Certification (rev. 2/11)
• Application for Renewal of Land Application Supervisor Certification (rev. 2/11)
• Sludge Disposal Site Dedication Form, Form A-1 (rev. 11/09)
• Liability Requirements for Transport, Storage, and Land Application of Biosolids, Form I, Insurance Liability Endorsement (rev. 10/13)
• Liability Requirements for Transport, Storage, and Land Application of Biosolids, Form II, Certificate of Liability Insurance (rev. 10/13)
• Liability Requirements for Transport, Storage, and Land Application of Biosolids, Form III, Corporate Letter (rev. 11/09)
• Liability Requirements for Transport, Storage, and Land Application of Biosolids, Form IV, Corporate Guarantee (rev. 11/09)
• Liability Requirements for Transport, Storage, and Land Application of Biosolids, Form V, Letter of Credit (rev. 11/09)
• Liability Requirements for Transport, Storage, and Land Application of Biosolids, Form VI, Trust Agreement (rev. 11/09)
• Liability Requirements for Transport, Storage, and Land Application of Biosolids, Form VII, Local Government Financial Test (rev. 10/13)
• Liability Requirements for Transport, Storage, and Land Application of Biosolids, Form VIII, Local Government Guarantee (rev. 10/13)