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:		14 September 2015

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SUBJECT:	Notes from Technical Meeting with States (13 May 2015) [DCN 0228]
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Overview 

      This was the twenty-sixth meeting between EPA and individual representatives from authorized NPDES programs. These meetings provided greater clarity regarding public comments on the NPDES Electronic Reporting Rule (eRule). Participants are listed below in Tables 1 and 2. EPA is summarizing the notes from these discussions for the docket in order to provide transparency on EPA's outreach during the rulemaking process (see Table 3). EPA also met with other stakeholders to discuss public comments. 
      
Meeting Notes
      
     EPA (Mr. Carey Johnston) started the meeting by reminding state participants that in addition to raising questions during these 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 also reminded everyone that this outreach does not constitute a decision-making body (see "Quick Reminder" section below).
     
     Mr. Johnston started the technical discussion by reviewing some of the changes it is considering in the final rule. Mr. Johnston asked for input from the meeting participants. Below are some questions and comments from meeting participants.
     
   *    NJ would like the term `biosolids' to be removed from Appendix A as it is not a term used in Part 503
   
   In the final rule, EPA modified Appendix to clarify that the Part 503 reporting applies to sewage sludge and biosolids. EPA will make this note as these terms, `biosolids' and `sewage sludge', are used interchangeably.
   
   *    David Apanian (Region 4) suggested that we keep `Facility Site Horizontal Reference Datum' to identify latitude and longitude data that was collected under an older mapping reference system.

   In the final rule, EPA deleted latitude and longitude metadata (e.g., Facility Site Source Map Scale Number, Facility Site Horizontal Accuracy Measure) from Appendix A. EPA is instead requiring that latitude and longitude data use of the World Geodetic System (WGS) 84 standard coordinate system. EPA notes that the WGS84 standard coordinate system is the modern worldwide standard for use in cartography, geodesy, and navigation. This coordinate system is currently the reference system being used by the Global Positioning System and is accurate within 1 meter. States that collect latitude and longitude on older coordinate systems (e.g., 1927 North American Datum) will need to convert their latitude and longitude to the newer, modern WGS84 coordinate system before they can share data with EPA. EPA has included the burden associated with these transformations in the economic analysis supporting the final rule.

   *    AL question whether EPA's NPDES forms require the collection of `Permitted Feature Application Design Flow (MGD).
   
   EPA confirmed that EPA's NPDES forms (Forms 2A, 2C, and 2D) do not collect the design flow for each applicants permitted feature (e.g., outfall). In the final rule EPA deleted this data element from Appendix A.
   
   *    FL questioned EPA's interpretation of its forms and reg with this data element: CAFO Animal Maximum Numbers. FL suggests that we only ask for number of animals not maximum.

   EPA reviewed the instructions for NPDES CAFO application form (Form 2B) and the example EPA CAFO Annual Report and confirmed that these documents are looking for `maximum' values.  We are retaining maximum to be consistent with these forms and to enhance the utility of these data as primary purpose of the NPDES program is to manage pollutant discharges. Tracking the maximum number of animals at CAFOs will help authorized NPDES programs and EPA better identify when CAFOs are exceeding their ability to properly manage manure, litter, and process wastewater.

   *    MI and NJ questioned EPA's use of a percentage for this data element: "Significant Industrial User Subject to Local Limits More Stringent Than Categorical Standards."
   
   EPA has changed the responses to this data element to be either "Yes" or "No."
   
   *    NJ suggested that EPA delete the following data element "Biosolids or Sewage Sludge Analytical Methods" as they assert this is not in EPA's regs

   EPA notes that the reporting requirements in Part require a "description of how" the pollutant, pathogen requirements, and vector attraction reduction requirements were met by the regulated entity. EPA is interpreting this language to mean that regulated entities will include a listing of the analytic methods that they use to demonstrate compliance with Part 503. The annual report also includes the following data element, Biosolids or Sewage Sludge  -  Land Application or Surface Disposal Deficiencies, which will identify when the facility failed to properly collect and analyze its biosolids or sewage sludge in accordance with the approved analytical methods (including appropriate method holding times). These two data elements will provide EPA and authorized NPDES programs with the data that they need for proper oversight.

   *    NJ suggested that the following data element - MS4 Reliance on Other Government Entities: Status Flag  -  be yes/no and not be used to identify the specific municipality covered by the NPDES permit. They agreed that EPA's approach is more useful and beneficial but they assert the overriding goal should be to conservatively interpret EPA's regs and require less reporting.
   
   EPA has made the requested edit in the final rule.
   
   *    Deborah L. DeBiasi, Virginia DEQ, suggested that EPA edit the following data element, Biomonitoring Inspection Method, to be more consistent with current biomonitoring inspection practices in use today. 
      
   Response: After this teleconference, EPA worked with VA to make the following edits to this data element: The unique code that identifies the type of biomonitoring inspection method (e.g., acute, chronic, or flow through discrete acute, discrete chronic, discrete method, flow-through method, flow-through acute, flow-through chronic) and sample type (e.g., grab, composite).
      
   *    Deborah L. DeBiasi, Virginia DEQ, also suggested that: "I would make the disinfection method a separate item, since all POTWs, regardless of size, should have some form and it's helpful to know what they are doing.  Make the heading something like, "POTW Disinfection Type", and in the second column, maybe something about a unique code to represent chlorination, UV treatment, etc."
   
   EPA added the following data element in response to the comment: "POTW Wastewater Disinfection Technology: The one or more unique codes/descriptions that describe the types of disinfection technology that are used at the facility (e.g., chlorination, ozonation, ultraviolet disinfection). This data element will also use a code/description to identify if this facility is using dechlorination, which may be required if the facility uses chlorination for disinfection. This data element only applies to POTWs." EPA modeled this data element after the OMB approved NPDES Form 2A.
   
   *    A state representative from Oklahoma noted that the proposed Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP) data elements seem reasonable.
   
   *    A state representative from Alabama noted that she likes the potential changes to the Appendix A data elements.

Quick Reminder
   *    The technical workgroup is not a decision-making body. Members of the workgroup provide clarity on their comments and suggest 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 voting or consensus of the workgroup. Instead, members of the workgroup are providing individual input reflecting their various perspectives.

   *    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.


Table 1: State Technical Workgroup Members  -  13 May 2015

                                 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
                                      No
                                 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
                                      No
                                   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;
                                       
                         Darren Polhemus             
                                      CA
                         dpolhemus@waterboards.ca.gov
                                      No
                       Renee Purdy                      
                                       
                        renee.purdy@waterboards.ca.gov
                                       
                        Deborah Smith                  
                                       
                           dsmith@waterboards.ca.gov
                                       
                       Vicky Whitney                   
                                       
                          vwhitney@waterboards.ca.gov
                                       
                                  Andy Putnam
                                      CO
                           andrew.putnam@state.co.us
                             goff@adeq.state.ar.us
                                      No
                                 Elisa Willard
                                       
                           elisa.willard@state.co.us
                                       
                                 Bob Zimmerman
                                      DE
                         robert.zimmerman@state.de.us
                          stephanie.bower@state.de.us
                                      Yes
                                   Tom Tyler
                                     ECOS
                                ttyler@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
                                      GA
                       frances.carpenter@dnr.state.ga.us
                                      Yes
                                Scott Miyashiro
                                      HI
                        scott.miyashiro@doh.hawaii.gov
                                      Yes
                                 Tom Easterly
                                      IN
                             teasterl@idem.in.gov
                              ckoontz@idem.in.gov
                                      Yes
                               Jeremy Chenevert
                                       
                             jcheneve@idem.in.gov
                                       
                                 Mark Stanifer
                                       
                             mstanife@idem.in.gov
                                       
                               Courtney Cswercko
                                      IA
                        courtney.cswercko@dnr.iowa.gov
                                      No
                                 Ed Dillingham
                                      KS
                            edillingham@kdheks.gov
                                      Yes
                                 Steve Caspers
                                       
                              scaspers@kdheks.gov
                                       
                             Shelly Shores-Miller
                                       
                              sshoresm@kdheks.gov
                                       
                                Shawn Hokanson
                                      KY
                             shawn.hokanson@ky.gov
                                      No
                                  Grace Scott
                                      MI
                              scottg@michigan.gov
                                      Yes
                                Carla Davidson
                                       
                            davidsonc@michigan.gov
                                       
                                 Ruth Wallace
                                      MO
                            ruth.wallace@dnr.mo.gov
                                      Yes
                                  Walter Fett
                                       
                            walter.fett@dnr.mo.gov
                                       
                              Christopher Miller
                                       
                            epermitting@dnr.mo.gov
                                       
                                  Tamara Dahl
                                      MN
                            tamara.dahl@state.mn.us
                                      No
                                 Paul Scheirer
                                       
                           paul.scheirer@state.mn.us
                                       
                                  John Murphy
                                    NEIWPCC
                              jmurphy@neiwpcc.org
                                      No
                        Deborah Gore                   
                                      NC
                            deborah.gore@ncdenr.gov
                                      No
                        Bradley Bennett               
                                       
                          bradley.bennett@ncdenr.gov
                                       
                                 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
                                      No
                                 Joseph DiMura
                                       
                          jxdimura@gw.dec.state.ny.us
                                       
                      Alan Tinney                        
                                  Dave Gaskin
                                      NV
                              atinney@ndep.nv.gov
                                      Yes
                                       
                                       
                              dgaskin@ndep.nv.gov
                                       
                    Brian Hall                             
                                      OH
                            brian.hall@epa.ohio.gov
                                      No
                     Erin Sherer                          
                                       
                           erin.sherer@epa.ohio.gov
                                       
                             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
                                      No
                                 Sean Furjanic
                                      PA
                               sefurjanic@pa.gov
                                      No
                                Kent Woodmansey
                                      SD
                          kent.woodmansey@state.sd.us
                                      No
                                   Tim Flor
                                       
                             tim.flor@state.sd.us
                                       
                                Albert Spangler
                                       
                          albert.spangler@state.sd.us
                                       
                               Lawrence Bunting
                                      TN
                           lawrence.bunting@tn.gov  
                                      No
                                 Yatasha Moore
                                       
                            yatasha.moore@tn.gov   
                                       
                                  Kim Wilson
                                      TX
                           kim.wilson@tceq.texas.gov
                                      No
                               Rebecca Villalba
                                       
                        rebecca.villalba@tceq.texas.gov
                                       
                                 Lynley Doyen
                                       
                          lynley.doyen@tceq.texas.gov
                                       
                               Kimberly Shepard
                                       
                        kimberly.shepard@tceq.texas.gov
                                       
                                 Jeff Studenka
                                      UT
                              jstudenka@utah.gov
                                      No
                                 Jerome Brooks
                                      VA
                        jerome.brooks@deq.virginia.gov
                                      Yes
                                Deborah Debiasi
                                       
                       deborah.debiasi@deq.virginia.gov
                                       
                                  Phani Eturu
                                       
                         phani.eturu@deq.virginia.gov
                                       
                                Stephen Bernath
                                      WA
                              sber461@ecy.wa.gov
                                      Yes
                                  Dave Knight
                                       
                              dakn461@ecy.wa.gov
                                       
                                  Nancy Kmet
                                       
                              nkme461@ecy.wa.gov
                                       
State representatives from West Virginia (Marcus E. Soulsby and Terrie Sangid) also participated in the meeting.

Table 2: EPA Technical Workgroup Members

                                     Name
                                  EPA Office 
                                     Email
                               Present? (Yes/No)
                                John Dombrowski
                                 OECA/OC/ETDD
                            dombrowski.john@epa.gov
                                      No
                                  Andy Hudock
                                 OECA/OC/ETDD
                             hudock.andrew@epa.gov
                                      Yes
                                Rochele Kadish
                                 OECA/OC/ETDD
                            kadish.rochele@epa.gov
                                      No
                                Carey Johnston
                                 OECA/OC/ETDD
                            johnston.carey@epa.gov
                                      Yes
                                 Jackie Clark
                                  OW/OWM/WPD
                             clark.jackie@epa.gov
                                      Yes
                                  Jan Pickrel
                                  OW/OWM/WPD
                              pickrel.jan@epa.gov
                                      Yes
                                Ginny Phillips
                                 OECA/OCE/WED
                            phillips.ginny@epa.gov
                                      Yes
                                 Aditi Prabhu
                                    OGC/WLO
                             prabhu.aditi@epa.gov
                                      No
                                 David Apanian
                                   Region 4
                             apanian.david@epa.gov
                                      Yes
                                  Sandra Chew
                                   Region 9
                              chew.sandra@epa.gov
                                      No
                                  Glynis Hill
                                 OP/ORPM/PRAD
                              hill.glynis@epa.gov
                                      No

Table 3: State Technical Workgroup Discussions to Discuss Public Comments
      
                                      DCN
                                     Date
Topic
Data Source
                                   DCN 0219
                                  02/05/2015
Basic Facility and Permit Data
Ind. Permit Applications/NOIs
                                   DCN 0220
                                  02/12/2015
Basic Violation and Enforcement Action Data 
States & Ind. Permit Applications/NOIs
                                   DCN 0221
                                  02/26/2015
Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Information
Ind. Permit Applications/NOIs & MS4 Program Report
                                   DCN 0222
                                  03/05/2015
Construction and Industrial Stormwater Information
Ind. Permit Applications/NOIs
                                   DCN 0223
                                  03/12/2015
CSO & Collection System Information & Sewer Overflow Data
Ind. Permit Applications/NOIs & Sewer Overflow Event Reports
                                   DCN 0224
                                  03/19/2015
Pretreatment Data
Ind. Permit Applications/NOIs & Annual POTW Pretreatment Program Reports, CIU/SIU Reports When EPA or State is Control Authority
                                   DCN 0225
                                  03/26/2015
Cooling Water and Thermal Variance Data
Ind. Permit Applications/NOIs
                                   DCN 0226
                                  04/02/2015
Biosolids Data
States & Ind. Permit Applications/NOIs & Annual Biosolids Reports
                                   DCN 0227
                                  04/09/2015
CAFO Data
Ind. Permit Applications/NOIs & Annual Biosolids Reports
                                   DCN 0228
                                  05/13/2015
Review of Appendix A
All NPDES program data
                                   DCN 0229
                                  05/27/2015
Review of State Representative Questions to EPA
All NPDES program data

