National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permitting and Pesticides

1. National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)Permitting and Pesticides Jeff Fischer Permits Section Water Resources Division fischerj1@michigan.gov; (517) 335-4188 southernsportsmanaquaticsandland.com plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/191

2. History • Pesticides as pollutants • November 27, 2006 CWA Interpretation • 2009 National Cotton Council, et al. v. EPA • Result - NPDES permits required • EPA response • Ruling reasonable • No appeal • Grant two year stay of mandate to implement • Permits in place by April 9, 2011

3. Pesticide Application Categories • Mosquito and other flying insect pest control • Forest Canopy Pest Control www.dbw.ca.gov/Environmental/Aquatic.aspx • Aquatic Nuisance Plant and Algae Control • Aquatic Nuisance Animal control and Fish Reclamation

4. Pesticide Application Categories • Outside scope of General Permit • Terrestrial applications for terrestrial purposes • Off-Target Spray Drift • Adulticiding – Michigan • Exempt under CWA • Ag. Irrigation return flow • Storm water runoff camerondavidson.com pubs.usgs.gov

5. Permit Development • Michigan collaborating with EPA and other Region 5 States • Stakeholder Process • Over 30 representative entities invited to participate • e.g. Farm Bureau, MSU, Environmental Groups (Tip of the Mitt, NWF, etc.), Utilities, County/Township/Municipal associations, Pest control agencies, Drain Commissions, etc. • Four Group Meetings: June – Sept. • Numerous Sub-workgroup meetings • Held to address category specific issues. • Instrumental to successful development of permits

6. Michigan’s Permitting Approach • Separate General Permit for each category • Mosquito and flying insect pest control • Aquatic nuisance weed and algae • Aquatic nuisance animal • Forestry canopy pest control • Acknowledge existing programs/requirements • FIFRA • Rule 97 certifications • Aquatic Nuisance Control – Part 33 • Agriculture – Part 83 • Reporting practices/forms • Procedures

7. Scope of Permit - Who needs to Apply? • Decision-maker and/or person financially responsible, or person applying pesticides where total area of applications exceeds annual threshold • Michigan approach • One permittee • Preference to applicators • Reduced burden on individuals, small entities • What if hired for service, but not permittee? • Explanation for division of duties • Written agreement between parties • Pesticide Applications below annual threshold • Automatic coverage • No application required • Reduced permit requirements • Discharge limitations - minimize • Record keeping

8. Annual Treatment Area Thresholds Total area of applications made in, over, or near to: • water’s of the state of Michigan, and • conveyances with a hydrologic connection to surface waters of the state during the time of pesticide application. To calculate annual treatment area totals: • Count each pesticide application as a separate activity. • Multiple treatments to the same area are considered as distinct pesticide application events. • For example: • a 5-acre treatment area that is treated 4 times in one year equals 20 acres of treatment area, and • treating both sides of a ten mile ditch is equal to twenty miles of treatment area.

9. General Permit Requirements • Components that make up General Permit • Discharge Limitations • Integrated Pest Management Practices • Pesticide Discharge Management Plan • Record Keeping • Annual Report • Corrective Action • Adverse Incident Reporting • Best Management Practices • No numeric limits

10. Discharge Limitations • Minimize pesticide use • Equipment maintenance/calibration • Spill prevention • Registered products • Must have aquatic formulation • Category specific restrictions • List approved pesticides www.thefullwiki.org/Pesticide

11. Integrated Pest Management Practices • Only required if exceed annual threshold • Identify species and contributing factors • Pest action threshold • Pre- and post-application surveillance • Select/implement effective pest management • Compliance • Pre-existing plans • Document implementation

12. Pesticide Discharge Management Plan • Only required if exceed annual threshold • Deadlines for development • Documentation of limit implementation • Evaluation/selection of control measures • Allowance for other procedures or plans • Does not contain limitations • Division of duties – written agreement • Record retention • Plan Modification • Corrective action • Updates – change in activities • Before next application

13. Record Keeping • Required for All pesticide applications • Minimal requirements if below threshold • Copy of general permit/adverse incident/corrective action • Exceed threshold – more comprehensive • Must update records after each treatment • Equipment maintenance/calibration • Records may be maintained by applicator • Must document accordingly • Acknowledge other program requirements • Utilize existing procedures/documentation from other programs • Minimize/eliminate duplication • Record retention • At least 3 years • Available upon request

14. Annual Report • Required only if exceed annual threshold • Summary of pesticide application activities • Treatment area Specific • Due November 30th each year • Only submittal requirement • Submittal requirements • Can rely upon other documents to fulfill conditions of reporting requirement

15. Requirement for Individual Permit • Pesticide not listed in permit • Significant contributor to pollution • Outstanding state resource waters • Impaired waters (303(d) list) • Permittee request www.aaroncjors.com

16. Permit Application and Forms • General Permit Application • Utilize existing NPDES application format • Create new pesticides Section (VII) • Layout – category specific • Allow information from other applications • Avoid duplication • Report Forms • Utilize forms from existing programs • e.g. ANC Treatment Report Form • Modify to comply with NPDES permit • On-line Electronic Format • E-mail submittal

17. Compliance • Issues • Staffing and cost • Number of applications • Focus • Unpermitted activities • Resource damage • Existing Program Requirements • Adverse Incident Report • Corrective Action

18. General Permit Status • Draft General Permits Completed • Public Notice - November 15, 2010 • EPA – No Objections • Public Comments • Approximately 15 received by due date • Public Hearing Held December 17, 2010 • Small attendance – 4 statements for record • Testament to stakeholder process

19. Recent Developments • EPA – Postponed permit issuance • Original - December 2010, now mid to late-February • Final version will contain revisions • Some changes certain, others may or may not occur • Potential areas of impact • Terminology • Scope of permit • Application submittal • Thresholds • Reporting requirements • States not required to adopt all changes, can take own path • Impact to Michigan’s GP’s? • Delays permit issuance • Delays document development • Caused postponement of application training workshop • New date will be announced soon • Will post on Pesticide Control Website • Current registrations will be honored or refunded.

20. Next Steps • Prepare Responsiveness Summary • Continue Public Outreach Efforts • Document Development • Annual Report • Permit Application • On-line submittal • Reschedule Application Training Workshop • Develop Compliance Procedures

21. Stay tuned… www.lakelandrs.com/Technical_Services.aspx