Download
1 / 3
30 likes | 162 Views
Chapter 92 – NPDES Permits Watershed Permits. Issue: Some pollutants persist and accumulate in the watershed, resulting in a threat to water quality standards only after a threshold loading or concentration is reached at some point in the watershed. Biological monitoring detects problem
E N D
Chapter 92 – NPDES Permits Watershed Permits Issue: Some pollutants persist and accumulate in the watershed, resulting in a threat to water quality standards only after a threshold loading or concentration is reached at some point in the watershed. • Biological monitoring detects problem • Existing process poorly positioned to address watershed-wide water quality concerns effectively and at minimum cost
Chapter 92 – NPDES Permits Watershed Permits New methods and tools have enabled the Department to better determine when watershed-wide concerns apply, and to assign appropriate limits to address the problem. The ability to issue watershed-based NPDES permits for point source discharges will provide the implementation process to complement these watershed-wide assessments.
Chapter 92 – NPDES Permits Watershed Permits • Challenge: Minimize costs. • Watershed permits avoid need for broad-brush, excessively conservative approaches. Customized wasteload allocation is the standard. • Watershed permits provide the framework for pollutant credit trading. This flexibility is required to control costs and provide incentive for highest, cost-effective degree of treatment (because excess credits can be sold).
