NPDES Permits in New England

Massachusetts Small MS4 General Permit

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The 2016 Massachusetts Small MS4 General Permit was signed April 4, 2016 and will become effective July 1, 2017. The final permit reflects modifications to the 2014 draft small MS4 general permit released for comment on September 30, 2014 and replaces the 2003 small MS4 general permit for MS4 operators within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The permit, appendices, and response to comment documents are available below.

2016 Final Permit Documents

Federal Register Notice
Final 2016 Massachusetts Small MS4 General Permit (PDF) (60 pp, 735 K)
Appendix A - Definitions, Abbreviations and Acronyms (PDF) (8 pp, 48 K)
Appendix B - Standard Permit Conditions (PDF) (10 pp, 51 K)
Appendix C – Endangered Species Act Eligibility Guidance (PDF) (8 pp, 69 K)
Appendix D - National Historic Preservation Act Eligibility Guidance (PDF) (4 pp, 67 K)
Appendix E - Suggested Format and Required Information for the Notice of Intent (NOI) - electronic (PDF) (15 pp, 415 K)
Appendix E - Suggested Format and Required Information for the Notice of Intent (NOI) - Printable (PDF) (15 pp, 740 K)
Appendix F – Requirements of Approved Total Maximum Daily Loads (PDF) (140 pp, 2.3 MB)
Appendix G – Impaired Waters Monitoring Parameter Requirements (PDF) (3 pp, 64 K)
Appendix H – Requirements Related to Discharges to Certain Water Quality Limited Waterbodies (PDF) (26 pp, 630 K)
Response to Comments (PDF) (632 pp, 5.2 MB)

2010 Census and Designated MS4s

The Bureau of the Census has recently released new 2010 urbanized area data. These data indicate new or expanded urbanized areas in some communities, which may result in the requirement for permit coverage (for operators located in previously unregulated communities) or the expansion of coverage (for operators in currently regulated communities). For more information on MS4s (Traditional and non-traditional) within Massachusetts that are automatically designated and may require permit coverage see: MA regulated communities.

Permit Process

In order for a small MS4 operator to obtain authorization to discharge, it must submit a complete and accurate Notice of Intent (NOI) containing the information in Appendix E of the 2016 general permit. The NOI must be submitted on or before September 29, 2017 (90 days from the effective date of the final permit). A small MS4 operator must meet the eligibility requirements of the general permit found in Part 1.2 and Part 1.9 prior to submission of its NOI. A small MS4 operator will be authorized to discharge under the permit upon receipt of written notice from EPA following a public notice of the submitted NOI. EPA will authorize the discharge, request additional information, or require the small MS4 to apply for an alternative permit or an individual permit. NOIs may be submitted the following ways:

Electronically to EPA at stormwater.reports@epa.gov

or sent via regular or overnight mail to:
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Stormwater and Construction Permits Section OEP 06-1
5 Post Office Square - Suite 100
Boston, Massachusetts 02109-3912

A copy of the NOI shall also be sent to MassDEP at the following address:

Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection
One Winter Street – 5th Floor
Boston, Massachusetts 02108
ATTN: Frederick Civian, Stormwater Coordinator.

History

On May 1, 2003, EPA Region 1 issued its Final General Permit for Stormwater Discharges From Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (2003 small MS4 permit) that covers "traditional" (i.e., cities and towns) and "non-traditional" (i.e., Federal and state agencies) MS4 Operators located in the states of Massachusetts and New Hampshire. This permit expired on May 1, 2008 but remains in effect for authorized Operators until operators are authorized under the 2016 MS4 general permit.

During 2008 – 2010 EPA issued three separate draft Small MS4 General permits to replace the 2003 Small MS4 permit. One for eligible Operators located in the state of New Hampshire and two separate Massachusetts permits; one for Operators located in the North Coastal watershed and the other for those located in the Interstate, Merrimack and South Coastal watersheds.

The Notice of Availability of the draft General Permit for Discharges from Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4) located in North Coastal Massachusetts was published in the Federal Register on February 4, 2010 (See 75 FR 5788). This draft permit covers the North Coastal region, including but not limited to the watersheds of the Charles River and Neponset River.

The Notice of Availability of the draft General Permit for Discharges from Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems located in the Interstate, Merrimack and South Coastal watersheds in Massachusetts was published in the Federal Register on November 4, 2010 (See 75 FR 67960). EPA held a public hearing on March 9, 2011 and the public comment period for the draft permit ended March 11, 2011. A Federal Register Notice describing the public hearing and the extension of the public comment period was published in the Federal Register on February 15, 2011 (See 76 FR 8734). A transcript (PDF) (58 pp, 142 K) of the hearing in addition to copies of the written comments are available.

The 2014 Draft Massachusetts Small MS4 General Permit was released for public comment on September 30, 2014 and the comment period ended February 27, 2015. EPA received over 150 unique comment letters and all comments can be downloaded below. The 2016 final Massachusetts Small MS4 General Permit incorporates changes made in response to the comments received.

Information on Previous Permits and Draft Permits

2014 Draft Permit Documents

Federal Register Notice – Reopening of comment period
Federal Register Notice
Draft Massachusetts Small MS4 General Permit (PDF) (59 pp, 690 K)
Appendix A - Definitions, Abbreviations and Acronyms (PDF) (6 pp, 234 K)
Appendix B - Standard Permit Conditions (PDF) (10 pp, 152 K)
Appendix C – Endangered Species Act Eligibility Guidance (PDF) (7 pp, 262 K)
Appendix C Attachment 1 (PDF) (1 pg, 84 K)
Appendix D - National Historic Preservation Act Eligibility Guidance (PDF) (4 pp, 121 K)
Appendix E - Suggested Format and Required Information for the Notice of Intent (NOI) - electronic (PDF) (14 pp, 444 K)
Appendix E - Suggested Format and Required Information for the Notice of Intent (NOI) - Printable (PDF) (14 pp, 3 MB)
Appendix F – Requirements of Approved Total Maximum Daily Loads (PDF) (53 pp, 811 K)
Appendix F Attachment 1 (PDF) (6 pp, 148 K)
Appendix F Attachment 2 (PDF) (9 pp, 387 K)
Appendix F Attachment 3 (PDF) (65 pp, 1.6 MB)
Appendix G – Impaired Waters Monitoring Parameter Requirements (PDF) (3 pp, 261 K)
Appendix H – Requirements Related to Discharges to Certain Water Quality Limited Waterbodies (PDF) (13 pp, 177 K)
Appendix H Attachment 1 (PDF) (12 pp, 567 K)
Appendix I – EPA New England Bacterial Source Tracking Protocol (PDF) (16 pp, 409 K)
Fact Sheet (PDF) (100 pp, 1 MB)
Fact Sheet Attachment 1 (PDF) (50 pp, 1.9 MB)
2014 Draft MA MS4 Submitted Written Comments (PDF) (1,753 pp, 68.7 MB)
NOTE: This is a very large PDF. You may want to save it to your PC to view the file (Right-Click > Save Link/Target As).

2003 Final General Permit for Stormwater Discharges from Small MS4s

Final MA and NH Small MS4 General Permit (PDF) (56 pp, 259 K)
2003 Permit NOIs and Annual Reports

Tools, Information and Links

MS4 Outreach Presentation (PDF) (42 pp, 5.8 MB)
IDDE Implementation Timeline (PDF) (1 pg, 81 K)
Impaired Waters Information
USFW Endangered Species web site
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places web site
Charles River Residual Designation
Stormwater BMP Performance in New England (PDF) (232 pp, 3.1 MB)
Long-term cumulative performance estimates of eight stormwater BMP types, based on BMP capacity and various loading rates for total phosphorus, solids, and zinc.
Excel Workbook: Spreadsheet based Stormwater Management Optimization Tool (Opti-Tool) (Available Soon)
Green Infrastructure/Stormwater BMP Cost Estimation (PDF) (8 pp, 454 K)
Excel Workbook: Best Management Practice Accounting and Tracking Tool (BATT) (Available soon)
Technical Memorandum - Stormwater Program Cost Evaluation for Massachusetts (PDF) (30 pp, 1.3 MB)
Technical Support Document – Year 1 requirements (available soon)
Technical Support Document – Assessing Street and Parking Design Standards to Reduce Excess Impervious Cover in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, April 2011 (PDF) (6 pp, 437 K)
EPA New England Bacterial Source Tracking Protocol (PDF) (10 pp, 2.9 MB)
Technical Support Document – Stormwater Retrofit Techniques for Restoring Urban Drainages in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, April 2011 (PDF) (4 pp, 860 K)
Green Infrastructure Opportunities that Arise During Municipal Operations
Regional Stormwater Coalitions/Groups in Massachusetts

EPA Contacts

Newton Tedder (tedder.newton@epa.gov), 617-918-1038

State Contacts

MassDEP
Frederick Civian (Frederick.Civian@state.ma.us), 617-292-5821