Comment Sought on Draft General Permit for Groundwater Pollution

The State Journal
9 March 2013

The Department of Environmental Protection's Division of Water and Waste Management is proposing to issue a West Virginia Groundwater Remediation of Petroleum Contaminated Sites General Permit.

The proposed general permit is intended to cover the discharge of treated industrial waste from sites remediating petroleum-contaminated groundwater to waters of the state.

In accordance with 60 CSR 5-3.7, Tier 2 antidegradation reviews are not required for these facilities. Coverage under this general permit will require minimum treatment technologies that should result in an overall benefit to public health and the welfare of the environment from an improvement in water quality.

All facilities wishing to be covered under this general permit will be required to submit facility registration application forms.

Approximately 16 treatment facilities currently are registered under the present general permit. If those facilities wish to continue discharging, they will be required to register for coverage under the new general permit.

The draft general permit and fact sheet may be inspected by appointment between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Department of Environmental Protection Public Information Office at 601 57th Street SE in Charleston. Copies of the document may be obtained at a nominal cost.

Hearing impaired individuals having access to a Telecommunication Device for the Deaf may contact the agency by calling (800) 982-8772. Calls must be made between 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p. m. Monday through Friday.

Anyone may submit written comments on the draft permit and may address a request for public hearing to the director of the division within 30 days of the date of the public notice. Comments will be accepted until April 16, 2013. They should be addressed to:

Director, Division of Water & Waste Management
Department of Environmental Protection
601 57th Street SE
Charleston, WV 25304
Attention: Ann Baldwin
Phone: (304) 926-0499, Extension 1027
Fax: (304) 926-0496
E-mail: ann.m.baldwin@wv.gov

All comments received within this period will be considered prior to acting on the draft general permit. Correspondence should include the name, address and telephone number of the writer and a concise statement of the nature of the issues being raised.

The director will hold a public hearing if a finding is made, on the basis of requests, that there is a significant degree of public interest on issues relevant to the draft general permit.