Part V. Permit Modification, Revocation and Reissuance, and Termination
9VAC25-32-200. Modification, revocation and reissuance, and termination.
A. VPA permits shall be modified, revoked and reissued, or terminated only as authorized by this section.
B. A VPA permit may be modified in whole or in part, revoked and reissued, or terminated.
C. VPA permit modifications shall not be used to extend the term of a VPA permit.
D. Modification, revocation and reissuance, or termination of VPA permit may be initiated by the department, interested persons, or permittee under applicable provisions of this chapter.
E. An updated VPA permit application may be required in order to modify or revoke and reissue a VPA permit.
Statutory Authority
§ 62.1-44.15 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 12, Issue 20, eff. July 24, 1996; amended, Virginia Register Volume 39, Issue 5, eff. November 23, 2022.
9VAC25-32-210. Causes for termination.
A. The following are causes for terminating a VPA permit during its term, or for denying a VPA permit renewal application, after public notice and opportunity for a public hearing:
1. The permittee has violated any regulation of the board or order of the department, any condition of a VPA permit, any provision of the law, or any order of a court, where such violation results in a release of harmful substances into the environment or poses a substantial threat of release of harmful substances into the environment or presents a hazard to human health or the violation is representative of a pattern of serious or repeated violations which, in the opinion of the department, demonstrates the permittee's disregard for or inability to comply with applicable laws, regulations or requirements;
2. The permittee's failure to disclose fully all relevant material facts, or the permittee's misrepresentation of any relevant material facts in applying for a VPA permit, or in any other report or document required under the law or this chapter;
3. A determination that the permitted activity endangers human health or the environment and can only be regulated to acceptable levels by VPA permit modification or termination; or
4. There exists a material change in the basis on which the VPA permit was issued that requires either a temporary or a permanent reduction or elimination of any pollutant management activity controlled by the VPA permit necessary to protect human health or the environment.
B. In addition to causes for terminating a VPA permit specified in subsection A of this section, causes for terminating a VPA permit issued for land application, marketing and distribution of biosolids shall include:
1. Failure to comply with the conditions of the permit.
2. Violation of Chapter 3.1 (§ 62.1-44.2 et seq.) of Title 62.1 of the Code of Virginia or of any provisions of this regulation.
3. Change in ownership.
4. Abandonment of the facilities.
C. A VPA permit may be terminated without public notice and opportunity for a hearing when the termination is mutually agreed to by the permittee and the department.
Statutory Authority
§ 62.1-44.15 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 12, Issue 20, eff. July 24, 1996; amended, Virginia Register Volume 24, Issue 6, eff. January 1, 2008; Volume 39, Issue 5, eff. November 23, 2022.
9VAC25-32-220. Causes for modification.
A VPA permit may be modified, but not revoked and reissued, except when the permittee agrees or requests, when any of the following developments occur:
1. When additions or alterations have been made to the affected facility which require the application of VPA permit conditions that differ from those of the existing VPA permit or are absent from it;
2. When new information becomes available about the operation or pollutant management activity covered by the VPA permit which was not available at VPA permit issuance and would have justified the application of different VPA permit conditions at the time of VPA permit issuance;
3. When a change is made in the promulgated standards or regulations on which the VPA permit was based;
4. When it becomes necessary to change final dates in compliance schedules due to circumstances over which the permittee has little or no control such as acts of God, materials shortages, etc.; or
5. For the addition of new land application sites, new biosolids sources or routine storage facilities to the permit.
Statutory Authority
§ 62.1-44.15 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 12, Issue 20, eff. July 24, 1996; amended, Virginia Register Volume 24, Issue 6, eff. January 1, 2008.
9VAC25-32-230. Transfer of VPA permits.
A. Transfer by modification. Except as provided for under automatic transfer in subsection B of this section, a VPA permit shall be transferred only if the VPA permit has been modified to reflect the transfer or has been revoked and reissued to the new owner.
B. Automatic transfer. Any VPA permit shall be automatically transferred to a new owner if:
1. The current owner notifies the department 30 days in advance of the proposed transfer of the title to the facility or property;
2. The notice to the department includes a written agreement between the existing and proposed new owner containing a specific date of transfer of VPA permit responsibility, coverage and liability between them; and
3. The department does not within the 30-day time period notify the existing owner and the proposed owner of its intent to modify or revoke and reissue the VPA permit.
Statutory Authority
§ 62.1-44.15 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 12, Issue 20, eff. July 24, 1996; amended, Virginia Register Volume 39, Issue 5, eff. November 23, 2022.
9VAC25-32-240. Minor modification.
A. Upon request of the permittee, or upon department initiative with the consent of the permittee, minor modifications may be made in the VPA permit without following the public involvement procedures.
B. Minor modification may only:
1. Correct typographical errors;
2. Require reporting by the permittee at a frequency other than that required in the VPA permit;
3. Change an interim compliance date in a schedule of compliance to no more than 120 days from the original compliance date and provided it will not interfere with the final compliance date;
4. Allow for a change in name, ownership or operational control when the department determines that no other change in the VPA permit is necessary, provided that a written agreement containing a specific date for transfer of VPA permit responsibility, coverage and liability from the current to the new permittee has been submitted to the department;
5. Delete the listing of a land application site when the pollutant management activity is terminated and does not result in an increase of pollutants which would exceed VPA permit limitations;
6. Reduce VPA permit limitations to reflect a reduction in the permitted activity when such reduction results from a shutdown of processes or pollutant generating activities or from connection of the permitted activity to a POTW;
7. Change plans and specifications where no other changes in the VPA permit are required;
8. Authorize treatment facility expansions, production increases or process modifications which will not cause a significant change in the quantity of pollutants being managed or a significant change in the nature of the pollutant management activity; or
9. Delete VPA permit limitation or monitoring requirements for specific pollutants when the activities generating these pollutants are terminated.
C. An application for any permit amendments to increase the acreage authorized by the initial permit shall not be considered a minor modification and shall require the public involvement procedures outlined in 9VAC25-32-140 C.
Statutory Authority
§ 62.1-44.15 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 12, Issue 20, eff. July 24, 1996; amended, Virginia Register Volume 24, Issue 6, eff. January 1, 2008; Volume 25, Issue 26, eff. September 30, 2009; Volume 29, Issue 24, eff. September 1, 2013; Volume 39, Issue 5, eff. November 23, 2022.
9VAC25-32-250. Animal feeding operations.
A. All animal feeding operations shall maintain no point source discharge of pollutants to surface waters except in the case of a storm event greater than the 25-year, 24-hour storm. Animal feeding operations having 300 or more animal units utilizing a liquid manure collection and storage system or having 200 or more animal units of poultry are pollutant management activities subject to the VPA permit program. Two or more animal feeding operations under common ownership are a single animal feeding operation for the purpose of determining the number of animals at an operation if they adjoin each other or if they use a common area or system for the disposal of wastes.
B. Case-by-case determination.
1. The department may determine that any animal feeding operation that does not otherwise qualify for coverage under the VPA general permit and has not been required to obtain a VPDES permit be required to obtain an individual VPA permit upon determining that it is a potential or actual contributor of pollution to state waters. In making this determination the following factors shall be considered:
a. The size of the operation;
b. The location of the operation relative to state waters;
c. The means of conveyance of animal wastes and process waters into state waters;
d. The slope, vegetation, rainfall, and other factors affecting the likelihood or frequency of discharge of animal wastes and process waste waters into state waters;
e. The compliance history and the ability to make corrections in order to comply with the VPA general permit conditions;
f. The means of storage, treatment, or disposal of animal wastes; and
g. Other relevant factors.
2. A VPA permit application shall not be required for an animal feeding operation subject to subdivision 1 of this subsection until the department has conducted an on-site inspection of the operation and determined that the operation shall be regulated under the VPA permit program.
Statutory Authority
§ 62.1-44.15 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 12, Issue 20, eff. July 24, 1996; amended, Virginia Register Volume 32, Issue 5, eff. December 2, 2015; Volume 39, Issue 5, eff. November 23, 2022.
9VAC25-32-255. Requirements for end-users of animal waste and poultry waste.
A. Technical requirements for end-users of animal waste or poultry waste will be established in general permit regulations or individual permits. Technical requirements for end-users of animal waste or poultry waste shall address but not be limited to the following:
1. Proper waste storage;
2. Appropriate land application practices; and
3. Recordkeeping.
B. End-users of animal waste or poultry waste shall comply with technical requirements established as set forth by subsection A of this section.
Statutory Authority
§ 62.1-44.15 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 32, Issue 5, eff. December 2, 2015.
9VAC25-32-260. General VPA permits.
The board may issue a general VPA permit in accordance with the following:
1. Sources. A general VPA permit may be written to regulate a category of pollutant management activities that:
a. Involve the same or similar types of operations;
b. Manage the same or similar types of wastes;
c. Require the same VPA permit limitations or operating conditions;
d. Require the same or similar monitoring; and
e. In the opinion of the board, are more appropriately controlled under a general VPA permit than under individual VPA permits.
2. Administration.
a. General VPA permits will be issued, modified, revoked and reissued, or terminated pursuant to the law and the Administrative Process Act (§ 2.2-4000 et seq. of the Code of Virginia).
b. The department may require any person operating under a general VPA permit to apply for and obtain an individual VPA permit. Interested persons may petition the department to take action under this subdivision. Cases where an individual VPA permit may be required include the following:
(1) Where the pollutant management activity is a significant contributor of pollution;
(2) Where the owner is not in compliance with the conditions of the general VPA permit;
(3) When a water quality management plan containing requirements applicable to the pollutant management activity is approved; or
(4) When a permitted activity no longer meets the general VPA permit conditions.
c. Any owner operating under a general VPA permit may request to be excluded from the coverage of the general VPA permit by applying for an individual VPA permit.
d. When an individual VPA permit is issued to an owner the applicability of the general VPA permit to the individual permittee is automatically terminated on the effective date of the individual VPA permit.
e. When a general VPA permit is issued which applies to an owner already covered by an individual VPA permit, such owner may request exclusion from the provisions of the general VPA permit and subsequent coverage under an individual VPA permit.
f. A general VPA permit may be revoked as to an individual owner for any of the reasons set forth in 9VAC25-32-210 or subdivision 2 b of this section subject to appropriate opportunity for a hearing.
Statutory Authority
§ 62.1-44.15 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 12, Issue 20, eff. July 24, 1996; amended, Virginia Register Volume 29, Issue 24, eff. September 1, 2013; Volume 39, Issue 5, eff. November 23, 2022.
9VAC25-32-270. Control of disposal of pollutants into wells.
A. No right to dispose of pollutants into wells shall exist under this regulation, except as authorized pursuant to a VPA permit issued by the department or VPA general permit issued as a regulation adopted by the board.
B. Whenever an applicant for a VPA permit proposes to dispose of pollutants into a well or wells, the proposed disposal shall be prohibited, or specific terms and conditions shall be included in the VPA permit which shall control the proposed disposal in order to prevent the pollution of and protect all beneficial uses of state waters, protect the public health and welfare, and require compliance with all applicable water quality standards.
Statutory Authority
§ 62.1-44.15 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 12, Issue 20, eff. July 24, 1996; amended, Virginia Register Volume 39, Issue 5, eff. November 23, 2022.