NACWA Regulatory Alert (RA 06-04)

To: Members & Affiliates;
Pretreatment and Pollution Prevention Committee; Legal Affairs Committee
From: National Office
Date: June 8, 2006
Subject: EPA ISSUES FACT SHEET ON REQUIRED CHANGES IN PRETREATMENT STREAMLINING RULE
Reference: RA 06-04

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently made available a fact sheet (http://www.epa.gov/npdes/pubs/pretreatment_streamlining_required_changes.pdf) detailing required changes to the National Pretreatment Program regulations (40 CFR Part 403) that resulted from the October 2005 Pretreatment Streamlining Rule. While EPA recommends that these changes be made as soon as possible, NACWA urges members to be particularly aware of one provision relating to an evaluation of significant industrial users (SIUs) to determine the need for a slug control plan or other action because it has an approaching deadline of October 14, 2006.

NACWA worked diligently for more than a decade through its Pretreatment and Pollution Prevention Committee to get many of the provisions EPA incorporated into the new rule, which was detailed in a previous Regulatory Alert (http://www.nacwa.org/private/regalerts/ra05-10.cfm).

Fact Sheet Highlights Required Changes
The new rule mandates 13 changes that must be adopted into either state pretreatment regulations or approved POTW pretreatment programs. Delegated states may also have to revise their regulations to ensure they have the authority to enforce the requirements. NACWA members should carefully review the fact sheet and Pretreatment Streamlining Rule before proceeding with any changes.

Under the new pretreatment regime:

Other Relevant Changes

The following changes apply largely to the states. POTWs need not take action but should be aware of them.

Please do not hesitate to contact Chris Hornback, Director of Regulatory Affairs, at 202/833-9106 or chornback@nacwa.org, with any questions on this notice.