Virginia Law

A. Any owner governed by this general permit is authorized to discharge process wastewater and stormwater as described in 9VAC25-190-20 A 1 and 2 to surface waters of the Commonwealth of Virginia, provided that:

1. The owner submits a registration statement in accordance with 9VAC25-190-60, and that registration statement is accepted by the department;

2. The owner submits the required permit fee;

3. The owner complies with the applicable effluent limitations and other requirements of 9VAC25-190-70;

4. The owner has and maintains during such authorization a mineral mining permit for the operation to be covered by this general permit that has been approved by the Virginia Department of Energy, Division of Mineral Mining (or an associated waivered program, locality, or state agency) under provisions and requirements of Title 45.2 of the Code of Virginia. Mineral mines located in bordering states with discharges in Virginia shall provide documentation that they have a mining permit from the appropriate state authority. Mineral mines owned and operated by governmental bodies not subject to the provisions and requirements of Title 45.2 of the Code of Virginia are exempt from this requirement; and

5. The department has not notified the owner that the discharge is not eligible for coverage in accordance with subsection B of this section.

B. The department will notify an owner that the discharge is not eligible for coverage under this general permit in the event of any of the following:

1. The owner is required to obtain an individual permit in accordance with 9VAC25-31-170 B 3 of the Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (VPDES) Permit Regulation;

2. The owner is proposing to discharge to state waters specifically named in other board regulations that prohibit such discharges;

3. The discharge violates or would violate the antidegradation policy in the water quality standards at 9VAC25-260-30; or

4. The discharge is not consistent with the assumptions and requirements of an approved total maximum daily load (TMDL).

C. Compliance with this general permit constitutes compliance for purposes of enforcement with §§ 301, 302, 306, 307, 318, 403, and 405(a) and (b) of the federal Clean Water Act and the State Water Control Law, with the exceptions stated in 9VAC25-31-60 of the VPDES Permit Regulation. Approval for coverage under this general permit does not relieve any owner of the responsibility to comply with any other applicable federal, state, or local statute, ordinance, or regulation.

D. Continuation of permit coverage.

1. Permit coverage shall expire at the end of the applicable permit term. However, expiring permit coverages are automatically continued if the owner has submitted a complete registration statement at least 60 days prior to the expiration date of the permit, or a later submittal date established by the department, which cannot extend beyond the expiration date of the permit. The permittee is authorized to continue to discharge until such time as the department either:

a. Issues coverage to the owner under this general permit; or

b. Notifies the owner that the discharge is not eligible for coverage under this general permit.

2. When the owner that was covered under the expiring or expired general permit has violated or is violating the conditions of that permit, the department may choose to do any or all of the following:

a. Initiate enforcement action based upon the general permit coverage that has been continued;

b. Issue a notice of intent to deny coverage under the reissued general permit. If the general permit coverage is denied, the owner would then be required to cease the discharges authorized by the continued coverage or be subject to enforcement action for discharging without a permit;

c. Issue an individual permit with appropriate conditions; or

d. Take other actions authorized by the VPDES Permit Regulation (9VAC25-31).