Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

Contact: Anne Moore, 218-302-6605 Duluth, Minn. -- The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has extended the public comment period for the agency's draft industrial stormwater permit through Sept. 4, 2009. The agency proposes to issue a Multi-Sector Industrial Stormwater general permit to protect water quality by preventing or reducing contact of stormwater with industrial activities and materials, including products, intermediate products, by-products; and wastes used, stored or created at a facility. Many industrial materials contain hazardous metals, fuel, oil, grease and salts that could contaminate stormwater, and ultimately, a local surface-water or groundwater resource. The draft permit would affect public and private facilities with industrial activities that fall under 10 categories, or Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes, such as manufacturing, petroleum refining, transportation, used motor vehicle parts, scrap and waste materials, mining, landfills, steam electric power generation, domestic wastewater treatment, and hazardous waste treatment, storage or disposal. The draft permit contains general and sector-specific requirements and control measures, including a Stormwater Pollution-Prevention Plan and best management practices. The draft permit also requires permit holders to reduce, minimize or eliminate stormwater contact with potentially polluting materials, and to conduct benchmark and effluent monitoring. Industrial owner/operators may qualify for a five-year "No Exposure" exclusion from the permit, if they provide a storm-resistant shelter to protect all industrial materials and activities from contact with stormwater and maintain this condition of no exposure. Written comments on the MPCA's draft Multi-Sector Industrial Stormwater permit must be submitted to Cynthia Kahrmann, Industrial Division, MPCA, 520 Lafayette Road N., Saint Paul, MN 55155-4194, by 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 4. Copies of the draft permit and related technical fact sheet are available for review at the MPCA's St. Paul office, 520 Lafayette Road N.; at the MPCA's Duluth office, 525 Lake Ave. S., Suite 400; by calling Kristin Kirchoff at 651-757-2089; or on the MPCA Web site at/water/stormwater/stormwater-i.html. Questions about the draft permit and fact sheet should be directed to Cynthia Kahrmann at 651-757-2481. All MPCA offices and staff can be reached toll-free by calling 800-657-3864.