DEQ Environmental Permits and Licensing 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is 'anti-degradation' policy in the context of water quality permitting?
- A policy requiring all dischargers to use zero-discharge technology
- A policy protecting existing water quality and preventing it from being lowered below existing use designations (Correct answer)
- A rule prohibiting the issuance of new NPDES permits in any watershed
- A requirement that all permits include provisions for wetland restoration
Correct answer: A policy protecting existing water quality and preventing it from being lowered below existing use designations
Anti-degradation policy requires that existing uses and water quality levels be maintained and protected, preventing new or increased discharges from lowering water quality below established levels.
Question 2: When a permitted facility wants to make a significant change to its operations, what permit action is typically required?
- The facility must voluntarily cease operations until a new permit is issued
- The facility must apply for a permit modification to incorporate the operational change (Correct answer)
- The facility simply notifies the DEQ and may proceed with changes immediately
- The facility must obtain a new permit from the beginning as if it were a new facility
Correct answer: The facility must apply for a permit modification to incorporate the operational change
Significant changes to permitted operations typically require a permit modification, allowing the DEQ to evaluate whether the change affects compliance with applicable standards.
Question 3: What does 'best available technology economically achievable' (BAT) mean in NPDES permitting?
- The minimum pollution control required to comply with state water quality standards
- The most stringent effluent limitation level achievable by the best-performing facilities in an industry, considering cost (Correct answer)
- A technology standard that applies only to publicly owned treatment works (POTWs)
- A federal standard that requires zero discharge of all pollutants
Correct answer: The most stringent effluent limitation level achievable by the best-performing facilities in an industry, considering cost
BAT represents the most effective pollution control technology used by the best performers in an industry, serving as the basis for effluent limits for toxic pollutants.
Question 4: What is a RCRA Part B permit and who must obtain one?
- A permit required for all generators of hazardous waste, including very small quantity generators
- A permit required for facilities that treat, store, or dispose of hazardous waste for extended periods (Correct answer)
- A permit required for hazardous waste transporters operating across state lines
- A permit issued to facilities that recycle hazardous materials for beneficial reuse
Correct answer: A permit required for facilities that treat, store, or dispose of hazardous waste for extended periods
A RCRA Part B permit is required for facilities that treat, store, or dispose of hazardous waste for longer than temporary generator accumulation periods, ensuring they meet strict design and operational standards.
Question 5: What is the public notice and comment process in DEQ permitting designed to accomplish?
- To allow the DEQ to collect permit application fees from the public
- To give affected citizens and stakeholders an opportunity to provide input before a permit is issued (Correct answer)
- To notify the applicant that their permit has been approved
- To satisfy a requirement that all permits be published in federal and state registers before taking effect
Correct answer: To give affected citizens and stakeholders an opportunity to provide input before a permit is issued
Public notice and comment requirements ensure transparency and community participation, allowing affected parties to raise concerns that the DEQ must consider before finalizing a permit.
Question 6: What is 'effluent limitation' in the context of an NPDES permit?
- The maximum volume of water a facility may withdraw from a river or lake
- Specific numeric or narrative restrictions on the concentration or mass of pollutants a facility may discharge (Correct answer)
- The minimum required dilution ratio between effluent and receiving water
- The maximum number of discharge events allowed per calendar year
Correct answer: Specific numeric or narrative restrictions on the concentration or mass of pollutants a facility may discharge
Effluent limitations are the specific pollutant discharge restrictions in an NPDES permit, expressed as concentration limits, mass loading limits, or narrative standards.
DEQ Environmental Permits and Licensing 2
What is 'anti-degradation' policy in the context of water quality permitting?