| NATIONAL POLLUTION DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM (NPDES) INFORMATION |
| Earth disturbance activities disturbing five acres or more of land over the life of the project, or earth disturbance activities that disturb one to less than five acres and have a point source discharge to surface waters, require an NPDES permit. Most activities can obtain coverage under the NPDES General Permit. Activities that do not qualify for coverage under the NPDES General Permit must obtain coverage under the NPDES Individual Permit. |
| Some activities that require individual permit coverage : Projects located in special protection waters. Activities that will alter existing water quality standards. Activities that may result in pollutant or toxic discharge. Discharges from a person who has failed and continues to fail to comply with regulations, permits, orders, or schedules of compliance. |
| The following activities do not require issuance of separate NPDES permits: Agricultural Plowing and Tilling Road Maintenance (including dirt and gravel road maintenance projects) Timber Harvesting Operations* Coal and Non-Coal Mining Activities Landfills Superfund Sites Aquaculture |
| *Timber harvesting operations and road maintenance activities with twenty-five acres or more of disturbance over the life of the project require and Erosion and Sediment Control permit. |