Part I. General
9VAC25-20-10. Definitions.
Unless otherwise defined in this chapter or unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the terms used in this regulation shall have the meanings ascribed to them by the State Water Control Law, § 62.1-44.3; the board's Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit Regulation, 9VAC25-31-10; the board's Virginia Pollution Abatement Permit Regulation, 9VAC25-32-10; the board's Virginia Water Protection Permit Program Regulation, 9VAC25-210-10; the board's Surface Water Management Area Regulation, 9VAC25-220-10; and the board's Groundwater Withdrawal Regulations, 9VAC25-610-10, including any general permits issued thereunder.
"Applicant" means for the purposes of this chapter any person filing an application for issuance, reissuance, or modification, except as exempted by 9VAC25-20-50, of a permit, certificate or special exception or filing a registration statement or application for coverage under a general permit issued in response to Chapters 3.1 (§ 62.1-44.2 et seq.), 24 (§ 62.1-242 et seq.), and 25 (§ 62.1-254 et seq.) of Title 62.1 of the Code of Virginia.
"Application" means for the purposes of this chapter the forms approved by the department for applying for issuance or reissuance of a permit, certificate or special exception or for filing a registration statement or application for coverage under a general permit issued in response to Chapters 3.1, 24, and 25 of Title 62.1 of the Code of Virginia. In the case of modifications to an existing permit, permit authorization, certificate or special exception requested by the permit, permit authorization, certificate or special exception holder and not exempted by 9VAC25-20-50, the application shall consist of the formal written request and any accompanying documentation submitted by the permit, permit authorization, certificate or special exception holder to initiate the modification.
"Biosolids" means a sewage sludge that has received an established treatment for required pathogen control and is treated or managed to reduce vector attraction to a satisfactory level and contains acceptable levels of pollutants, such that it is acceptable for use for land application, marketing or distribution in accordance with 9VAC25-31 or 9VAC25-32.
"Board" means the State Water Control Board. When used outside the context of the promulgation of regulations, including regulations to establish general permits, "board" means the Department of Environmental Quality.
"Dry tons" means dry weight established as representative of land applied biosolids or industrial residuals, and expressed in units of English tons.
"Existing permit" means for the purposes of this chapter a permit, permit authorization, certificate or special exception issued by the department or general permit issued as a regulation by the board and currently held by an applicant.
"Established fees" means a fee established by the department per dry ton of biosolids or industrial residuals managed by land appliers.
"Industrial residual" means solid or semisolid industrial waste including solids, residues, and precipitates separated or created by the unit processes of a device or system used to treat industrial wastes.
"Land application" means, in regard to sewage, biosolids, and industrial residuals, the distribution of treated wastewater of acceptable quality, referred to as effluent, or stabilized sewage sludge of acceptable quality, referred to as biosolids, or industrial residuals by spreading or spraying on the surface of the land, injecting below the surface of the land, or incorporating into the soil with a uniform application rate for the purpose of fertilizing crops or vegetation or conditioning the soil. Bulk disposal of stabilized sludge or industrial residuals in a confined area, such as in landfills, is not land application. Sites approved for land application of biosolids in accordance with 9VAC25-31 or 9VAC25-32 are not to be considered to be treatment works.
"Land applier" means someone who land applies biosolids or industrial residuals pursuant to a valid permit from the department as set forth in 9VAC25-31 or 9VAC25-32.
"Local monitor" means a person or persons employed by local government to perform the duties of monitoring the operations of land appliers pursuant to a local ordinance.
"Major modification" means for the purposes of this chapter modification or amendment of an existing permit, permit authorization, certificate or special exception before its expiration which is not a minor modification as defined in this regulation.
"Major reservoir" means for the purposes of this chapter any new or expanded reservoir with greater than or equal to 17 acres of total surface water impacts (stream and wetlands), or a water withdrawal of greater than or equal to 3,000,000 gallons in any one day.
"Minor modification" means for the purposes of this chapter minor modification or amendment of an existing permit, permit authorization, certificate or special exception before its expiration as specified in 9VAC25-31-400, 9VAC25-32-240, 9VAC25-210-180, 9VAC25-220-230, or 9VAC25-610-330. Minor modification for the purposes of this chapter also means other modifications and amendments not requiring extensive review and evaluation including, but not limited to, changes in EPA promulgated test protocols, increasing monitoring frequency requirements, changes in sampling locations, and changes to compliance dates within the overall compliance schedules. A minor permit modification or amendment does not substantially alter permit conditions, substantially increase or decrease the amount of surface water impacts, increase the size of the operation, or reduce the capacity of the facility to protect human health or the environment.
"Minor reservoir" means for the purposes of this chapter any new or expanded reservoir with less than 17 acres of total surface water impacts (stream and wetlands), or a water withdrawal of less than 3,000,000 gallons in any one day.
"New permit" means for the purposes of this chapter a permit, permit authorization, certificate or special exception issued by the department or coverage issued, pursuant to a general permit issued as a regulation adopted by the board, to an applicant that does not currently hold and has never held a permit, permit authorization, certificate or special exception of that type, for that activity, at that location.
"Reimbursement application" means forms approved by the department to be used to apply for reimbursement of local monitoring costs for land application of biosolids or industrial residuals in accordance with the provisions of this regulation. The application shall consist of a formal written request and any accompanying documentation submitted by a local government in accordance with a local ordinance.
"Revoked permit" means, for the purposes of this chapter, an existing permit, permit authorization, certificate or special exception which is terminated by the department before its expiration.
"Single jurisdiction" means for the purposes of this chapter a single county or city. The term county includes incorporated towns that are part of the county.
Statutory Authority
§§ 62.1-44.15:6, 62.1-44.16, and 62.1-44.19:3 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from VR680-01-01 § 1.1, eff. July 1, 1993; amended, Virginia Register Volume 19, Issue 18, eff. July 1, 2003; Volume 20, Issue 23, eff. July 1, 2004; Volume 24, Issue 6, eff. January 1, 2008; Volume 32, Issue 5, eff. January 1, 2016; Volume 39, Issue 5, eff. November 23, 2022.
9VAC25-20-20. Purpose.
Section 62.1-44.15:6 of the Code of Virginia requires the promulgation of regulations establishing a fee assessment and collection system to recover a portion of the Department of Environmental Quality's, Department of Game and Inland Fisheries', and the Department of Conservation and Recreation's direct and indirect costs associated with the processing of an application to issue, reissue, or modify any permit, permit authorization or certificate that the board or department has the authority to issue from the applicant for such permit, permit authorization or certificate. Section 62.1-44.19:3 of the Code of Virginia requires the promulgation of regulations establishing a fee to be charged to all permit holders and persons applying for permits and permit modifications associated with land application of biosolids. Section 62.1-44.16 of the Code of Virginia requires the promulgation of regulations requiring the payment of a fee by persons land applying solid or semisolid industrial wastes. Section 62.1-44.19:3 of the Code of Virginia also requires the promulgation of regulations requiring the payment of a fee by persons land applying biosolids. These regulations establish the required fee assessment and collection system.
Statutory Authority
§§ 62.1-44.15:6, 62.1-44.16, and 62.1-44.19:3 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from VR680-01-01 § 1.2, eff. July 1, 1993; amended, Virginia Register Volume 20, Issue 23, eff. July 1, 2004; Volume 24, Issue 6, eff. January 1, 2008; Volume 29, Issue 24, eff. September 1, 2013; Volume 32, Issue 5, eff. January 1, 2016; Volume 39, Issue 5, eff. November 23, 2022.
9VAC25-20-30. (Repealed.)
Historical Notes
Derived from VR680-01-01 § 1.3, eff. July 1, 1993; amended, Virginia Register Volume 20, Issue 23, eff. July 1, 2004; repealed, Virginia Register Volume 24, Issue 6, eff. January 1, 2008.
9VAC25-20-40. Applicability.
A. This chapter applies to:
1. All applicants for issuance of a new permit, permit authorization or certificate, or reissuance of an existing permit, permit authorization or certificate, except as specifically exempt under 9VAC25-20-50 A. The fee due shall be as specified under 9VAC25-20-110 or 9VAC25-20-130.
2. All permit, permit authorization or certificate holders who request that an existing permit, permit authorization or certificate be modified, except as specifically exempt under 9VAC25-20-50 A 3 or 9VAC25-20-50 A 6. The fee due shall be as specified under 9VAC25-20-120.
3. All land appliers land applying biosolids or industrial residuals on permitted sites in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The fee due shall be as specified under 9VAC25-20-146.
B. An applicant for a permit, permit authorization or certificate involving a permit that is to be revoked and reissued shall be considered an applicant for a new permit. The fee due shall be as specified under 9VAC25-20-110.
C. Permit maintenance fees apply to each Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (VPDES) permit holder and each Virginia Pollution Abatement (VPA) permit holder, except those specifically exempt under 9VAC25-20-50 B of this chapter. The fee due shall be as specified under 9VAC25-20-142.
D. Virginia Water Protection (VWP) Individual/Minimum Instream Flow permit fees apply to any permit for the construction of an intake on a stream or river, or to any permit for the construction of a new intake on an existing reservoir. The fee due shall be as specified under 9VAC25-20-110 or 9VAC25-20-120, as applicable.
E. VWP Individual/Reservoir permit fees apply to any permit for the construction of a new reservoir, or the expansion of an existing reservoir in which one of the purposes of the reservoir is for water supply. The fee due shall be as specified under 9VAC25-20-110 or 9VAC25-20-120, as applicable. VWP Individual/Reservoir permit fees do not apply to the construction of any impoundment, pond or lake in which water supply is not part of the project's purpose.
Statutory Authority
§§ 62.1-44.15:6, 62.1-44.16, and 62.1-44.19:3 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from VR680-01-01 § 1.4, eff. July 1, 1993; amended, Virginia Register Volume 20, Issue 23, eff. July 1, 2004; Volume 24, Issue 6, eff. January 1, 2008; Volume 31, Issue 24, eff. October 1, 2015; Volume 32, Issue 5, eff. January 1, 2016.
9VAC25-20-50. Exemptions.
A. No permit application fees will be assessed to:
1. An applicant for a permit, permit authorization, certificate or special exception pertaining to a farming operation engaged in production for market.
2. An applicant for a permit, permit authorization, or certificate pertaining to maintenance dredging for federal navigation channels or other U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-sponsored or Department of the Navy-sponsored dredging projects.
3. Permit holders who request minor modifications or minor amendments to permits, permit authorizations or certificates as defined in 9VAC25-20-10.
4. Permit, permit authorization or certificate holders whose permits, permit authorizations or certificates are modified or amended at the initiative of the department.
5. VPDES permit holders or VPA permit holders for the regularly scheduled renewal of an individual permit for an existing facility, except VPDES and VPA permit holders whose permits expire on or before December 27, 2004.
6. An applicant for a permit, permit authorization, permit modification, or certificate pertaining solely to biosolids research.
B. No permit maintenance fees will be assessed to:
1. VPDES and VPA facilities operating under a general permit.
2. Permits pertaining to a farming operation engaged in production for market.
3. Virginia Water Protection (VWP), Surface Water Withdrawal (SWW), and Ground Water Withdrawal (GWW) permits, permit authorizations, certificates and special exceptions.
4. Permits pertaining solely to biosolids research.
Statutory Authority
§§ 62.1-44.15:6, 62.1-44.16, and 62.1-44.19:3 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from VR680-01-01 § 1.5, eff. July 1, 1993; amended, Virginia Register Volume 20, Issue 23, eff. July 1, 2004; Volume 24, Issue 6, eff. January 1, 2008; Volume 27, Issue 26, eff. September 28, 2011; Volume 31, Issue 24, eff. October 1, 2015; Volume 39, Issue 5, eff. November 23, 2022.