MEMORANDUM

TO:		Public Record for the NPDES Electronic Reporting Rule
		EPA Docket Number EPA-HQ-OECA-2009-0274 (www.regulations.gov)	

FROM:		Carey A. Johnston, P.E.
            USEPA/OECA/OC
            ph: (202) 566 1014
            johnston.carey@epa.gov

DATE:		6 June 2014

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SUBJECT:	Notes from State Technical Workgroup Meeting (5 June 2014) [DCN 0139]
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Overview 

      This was the twelfth meeting for the EPA-state technical workgroup, which is discussing key issues related to the proposed NPDES Electronic Reporting Rule (eRule). These discussions are informing the forthcoming supplemental Federal Register notice and they will continue beyond the publication of the supplemental notice to help EPA address state comments. EPA participants will include the OECA eRule Team as well as representatives from EPA's Office of Water and Office of Environmental Information. Technical workgroup members are listed below in Tables 1 and 2. The agenda for this meeting is also provided below. EPA is summarizing the notes from these discussions for the docket in order to provide transparency on EPA's outreach during the rulemaking process. The OECA eRule team will also be available for any other stakeholder group that would like to discuss the eRule. 
      
Meeting Notes
      
     EPA (Mr. Carey Johnston) started the meeting by reminding state participants that in addition to raising questions during the technical workgroup meetings, states can email their questions on the proposed rule (including the data elements) to EPA. Questions on all aspects of the proposed rule can be sent to Mr. Johnston. Mr. Johnston then asked teleconference participants to focus on the Construction and Industrial Stormwater Information in Appendix A. The source of these data elements includes NPDES permit applications, Notices of Intent (NOI), and waiver requests (see 30 July 2013; 78 FR 46092).  Mr. Johnston started the technical discussion by reading the name of each data element along with the corresponding data description and regulatory or policy citation. After reading about five to ten elements at a time, Mr. Johnston asked for input from the technical workgroup. Below are some questions and comments from the technical workgroup.
     
* Several states noted that they there are varying amount of data collection on NPDES permit applications, NOIs, and waivers as it relates to industrial and construction stormwater sites. For example, several states noted that they don't collection information on the total impervious area or total activity area. ACWA (Mr. Sean Rolland) noted that the stormwater information collection requirements may be in EPA's regulations but some states may not be currently collecting all of the required data. 
   
* Indiana (Mr. Tom Easterly) noted that they may need to fix their NPDES implementing state regulations to more closely match EPA's regulations. He noted that Indiana was authorized to implement the core NPDES program soon after the 1972 Clean Water Act. Mr. Easterly noted that there will be a costs associated with updating state regulations. 

* Oklahoma (Mr. David Pruitt) noted that some of these data elements are not now in EPA's data system of record for the NPDES program (ICIS-NPDES). He noted that it will costs states money to not only start collecting these data but also to upgrade their databases and systems for sharing data with ICIS-NPDES. 

* Indiana (Mr. Easterly) suggested that Proposed Best Management Practices for Industrial Activities and Stormwater and Post-Construction Best Management Practices for Industrial Activities and Stormwater Discharges be converted from a text field to a drop-down list. He noted that this would make data entry easier for states. Washington State (Ms. Nancy Kmet) suggested that these data be collected via Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMRs).
   
* Texas, Florida, and South Dakota noted that the Proposed Best Management Practices for Industrial Activities and Stormwater are not collected on the NOI but are rather contained in the regulated entity's Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP), which is held on-site and is available for inspection. States noted that operators may change their best management practices (BMPs) and then update their SWPPP. Consequently, the SWPPP is a often considered by states to be a `living document' that is periodically updated by the operator. State inspectors will use the SWPPP to determine compliance. Texas noted concern that require the submission of BMPs on a NPDES permit application or NOI will `lock' an operator into using a particular BMP or will cause the operator to submit a revised NOI if there are changes to their list of BMPs. 
      
* Washington state (Ms. Kmet) stated that they do collect BMPs in their NOI. 
      
* ACWA (Mr. Rolland) asked EPA how the economic analysis for the proposed rule handles the situation where information collection requirements may be in EPA's regulations but some states may not be currently collecting all of the required data. EPA (Mr. Johnston) noted that EPA did not include costs associated with previous EPA regulations as EPA has already accounted for the compliance costs in those previous rules. He noted that it is important to separate the changes associated with the proposed eRule from actions taken to meet existing requirements.	 

* Washington state noted that some of these data elements are more narrative in nature and don't lend themselves for electronic reporting. EPA (Mr. John Dombrowski) ask that Ms. Kmet and other state participants provide suggestions on how to make the data elements more amendable to electronic reporting.


Next Steps
      
      The next technical workgroup meeting is June 12th. 
     State Technical Workgroup Meeting  -  NPDES Electronic Reporting Rule
                                  5 June 2014



      1pm		Introduction/Roll Call 

      1:10	Discussion of Industrial and Construction Stormwater Data Elements from Individual Permit Applications, NOIs, and Waivers

      2:00		End of Call
      
      
Quick Reminder
   *    The technical workgroup is not a formal decision-making body. The workgroup is expected to develop, research, and evaluate options for consideration by EPA and state senior management.
   
   *    There are no formal quorum rules for the workgroup. Scheduled teleconferences will proceed with whichever workgroup members call in to participate.

   *    There will be no formal voting or consensus of the workgroup. Instead, the workgroup is expected to try to develop recommendations reflecting their various perspectives, not achieve consensus.

   *    Summaries of the workgroup's discussions will be prepared for and reviewed by the workgroup, for presentation to EPA senior management and other states and the rulemaking record. The discussions summaries will outline the major elements of the discussions, areas of agreement and any dissenting views.


Table 1: State Technical Workgroup Members

                                 Main Contact
                             State or Organization
                              Main Contact Email
                         State/Org. Present? (Yes/No)
                                 Sean  Rolland
                                     ACWA
                             srolland@acwa-us.org
                                      Yes
                                 Karen Lechner
                                      AK
                           karen.lechner@alaska.gov
                                      Yes
                                 Christy Monk
                                      AL
                             cvm@adem.state.al.us
                                      Yes
                                 Eric Cleckler
                                       
                          ecleckler@adem.state.al.us
                                       
                                  Glenda Dean
                                       
                             gld@adem.state.al.us
                                       
                                 Teresa Marks
                                      AR
                            marks@adeq.state.ar.us
                                      Yes
                                   Pat Goff
                                       
                             goff@adeq.state.ar.us
                                       
                                   Mo Shafii
                                       
                            shafii@adeq.state.ar.us
                                       
                                 Karen Bassett
                                       
                           bassett@adeq.state.ar.us
                                       
                                 David Ramsey
                                       
                            ramsey@adeq.state.ar.us
                                       
                                Ellen Carpenter
                                       
                          carpenter@adeq.state.ar.us
                                       
                                Wendy LeStarge
                                      AZ
                           lestarge.wendy@azdeq.gov
                                      Yes
                                 Robin Belley
                                       
                            belley.robin@azdeq.gov
                                       
                                  David Lelsz
                                       
                            lelsz.david@azdeq.gov;
                                       
                                  Andy Putnam
                                      CO
                           andrew.putnam@state.co.us
                             goff@adeq.state.ar.us
                                      Yes
                                 Elisa Willard
                                       
                           elisa.willard@state.co.us
                                       
                                 Bob Zimmerman
                                      DE
                         robert.zimmerman@state.de.us
                          stephanie.bower@state.de.us
                                      Yes
                                  Beth Graves
                                     ECOS
                               bgraves@ecos.org
                                      No
                                  Chris Klena
                                      FL
                         chris.m.klena@dep.state.fl.us
                                      Yes
                              Jessica Kleinfelter
                                       
                      jessica.kleinfelter@dep.state.fl.us
                                       
                                 Edward Smith
                                       
                        edward.c.smith@dep.state.fl.us
                                       
                               Frances Carpenter
                                       
                       frances.carpenter@dnr.state.ga.us
                                       
                               Frances Carpenter
                                      GA
                       frances.carpenter@dnr.state.ga.us
                                      Yes
                                 Tom Easterly
                                      IN
                             teasterl@idem.in.gov
                              ckoontz@idem.in.gov
                                      Yes
                               Jeremy Chenevert
                                       
                             jcheneve@idem.in.gov
                                       
                                 Ed Dillingham
                                      KS
                            edillingham@kdheks.gov
                                      No
                             Shelly Shores-Miller
                                       
                              sshoresm@kdheks.gov
                                       
                                Shawn Hokanson
                                      KY
                             shawn.hokanson@ky.gov
                                      No
                                 Ruth Wallace
                                      MO
                            ruth.wallace@dnr.mo.gov
                                      Yes
                              Christopher Miller
                                       
                            epermitting@dnr.mo.gov
                                       
                                  Tamara Dahl
                                      MN
                            tamara.dahl@state.mn.us
                                      Yes
                                 Greg Jackson
                                      MS
                         greg_jackson@deq.state.ms.us
                                      No
                                  John Murphy
                                    NEIWPCC
                              jmurphy@neiwpcc.org
                                      No
                                 Jason Lonardo
                                      NJ
                         jason.lonardo@dep.state.nj.us
                                      Yes
                                 Julio Collazo
                                       
                         julio.collazo@dep.state.nj.us
                                       
                                 Robert Wither
                                      NY
                          rewither@gw.dec.state.ny.us
                                      Yes
                                 Joseph DiMura
                                       
                          jxdimura@gw.dec.state.ny.us
                                       
                             Shellie Chard-McClary
                                      OK
                       shellie.chard-mcclary@deq.ok.gov
                                      Yes
                                  Roy Walker
                                       
                             roy.walker@deq.ok.gov
                                       
                                 David Pruitt
                                       
                            david.pruitt@deq.ok.gov
                                       
                                 Jim Billings
                                      OR
                         billings.jim@deq.state.or.us
                                      Yes
                                 Sean Furjanic
                                      PA
                               sefurjanic@pa.gov
                                      Yes
                                Kent Woodmansey
                                      SD
                          kent.woodmansey@state.sd.us
                                      Yes
                                   Tim Flor
                                       
                             tim.flor@state.sd.us
                                       
                                Albert Spangler
                                       
                          albert.spangler@state.sd.us
                                       
                               Lawrence Bunting
                                      TN
                           lawrence.bunting@TN.gov  
                                      No
                                  Kim Wilson
                                      TX
                           kim.wilson@tceq.texas.gov
                                      Yes
                                 Lynley Doyen
                                       
                          lynley.doyen@tceq.texas.gov
                                       
                               Kimberly Shepard
                                       
                        kimberly.shepard@tceq.texas.gov
                                       
                                 Jeff Studenka
                                      UT
                              jstudenka@utah.gov
                                      Yes
                                 Jerome Brooks
                                      VA
                        jerome.brooks@deq.virginia.gov
                                      Yes
                                  Phani Eturu
                                       
                         phani.eturu@deq.virginia.gov
                                       
                                Stephen Bernath
                                      WA
                              sber461@ecy.wa.gov
                                      Yes
                                  Nancy Kmet
                                       
                              nkme461@ecy.wa.gov
                                       
      
Table 2: EPA Technical Workgroup Members

                                     Name
                                  EPA Office 
                                     Email
                               Present? (Yes/No)
                                   Lisa Lund
                                  OECA/OC/IO
                               lund.lisa@epa.gov
                                      No
                                John Dombrowski
                                 OECA/OC/ETDD
                            dombrowski.john@epa.gov
                                      Yes
                                  Andy Hudock
                                 OECA/OC/ETDD
                             hudock.andrew@epa.gov
                                      Yes
                                Rochele Kadish
                                 OECA/OC/ETDD
                            kadish.rochele@epa.gov
                                      Yes
                                Carey Johnston
                                 OECA/OC/ETDD
                            johnston.carey@epa.gov
                                      Yes
                                 Jackie Clark
                                  OW/OWM/WPD
                             clark.jackie@epa.gov
                                      Yes
                                  Roy Chaudet
                                 OEI/OIC/IESD
                              chaudet.roy@epa.gov
                                      No
                                 Chuck Freeman
                                 OEI/OIC/IESD
                            freeman.charles@epa.gov
                                      No
                                 Aditi Prabhu
                                    OGC/WLO
                             prabhu.aditi@epa.gov
                                      No
                                 David Apanian
                                   Region 4
                             apanian.david@epa.gov
                                      Yes
                                 Erika Farris
                                  OW/OWM/WPD
                             farris.erika@epa.gov
                                      Yes
                                  Glynis Hill
                                 OP/ORPM/PRAD
                              hill.glynis@epa.gov
                                      Yes


