The MPCA is currently in the process of reissuing the four versions of the Pesticide General Permit.
The MPCA administers four National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) / State Disposal System (SDS) pesticide general permits that regulate the use of pesticides in and around lakes, rivers, streams, and wetlands.
Entities that exceed a discharge threshold are required to submit an application for permit coverage — known as a notice of intent (NOI) — and pay an application fee. Those that do not exceed the threshold are not required to submit an NOI or an application fee, but are automatically covered by the permit and must comply with basic permit requirements.
Aquatic Plant Management permit holders
The Aquatic Plant Management (APM) program administered by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is sufficient to control the discharge of pesticides to meet the conditions of the Clean Water Act and the MPCA’s NPDES/SDS Pesticide General Permit. Therefore, APM permit holders do not need to submit an NOI or a permit fee, regardless of size of the activity. The general permits for aquatic nuisance animal pest control (MNG87C000) and vegetative pests and algae control (MNG87D000) are modified to accommodate APM permittees. The MPCA and DNR finalized an interagency agreement so permittee information can be shared between agencies. Please contact the staff listed at the bottom of this page with questions or for more details.
For more information, you can also review the letter below that was sent to potential APM permit holders.
MPCA does not provide coverage to APM applications occurring within American Indian reservations. The applicator and/or entity must obtain coverage under EPA’s Pesticide General Permit, or other permit coverage for application within a reservation.
Pesticide NPDES permit steps to compliance
Steps to compliance will help you decide if the permit affects you, learn what your responsibilities are, and show you what records to keep.
- Pesticide permit applicability and thresholds
- Pesticide permit notice of intent
- Requirements for pesticide dischargers
- Report adverse pesticide incidents
- Terminating a pesticide permit
Resources
- American Mosquito Control Association Integrated Pest Management
- EPA National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) - Pesticide Permitting
- EPA Agriculture - Office of Water
- EPA Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA)
Minnesota-based resources