Who Must File A Notice of Intent (NOI) Form.
Federal law at 40 CFR Part 122 prohibits point source discharges to a water body(ies) of the U.S. without a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. The operator of a site that has nonmetallic mineral mining discharges (including borrow pits) must submit a NOI to obtain coverage under the NPDES General Permit for Nonmetallic Mineral Mining Discharges. If you have questions about whether you need a permit under the NPDES Program, or if you need information as to whether a particular program is administered by EPA or a state agency, contact S.C. DHEC at (803) 898-4300.
Deinitions
Process-Generated Wastewater: is any wastewater used in the slurry transport of mined material, air emissions control (excluding water used for dust suppression on roads which is evaporated or absorbed by soils such that no runoff to a receiving stream occurs), or processing exclusive of mining. The term shall also include any other water, which becomes commingled with such wastewater in a pit, pond, lagoon, mine or other facility used for treatment of such wastewater.
Mine dewatering is any water that is impounded or that collects in the mine and is pumped, drained or otherwise removed from the mine through the efforts of the mine operator. This term shall also include wet pit overlows caused solely by direct rainfall and ground water seepage. However, if a mine is also used for treatment of mine process generated wastewater, discharges of commingled water from the mine shall be deemed discharges of mine process generated wastewater.
Mine Equipment Wash Water – means wastewater generated by washing mine equipment (including trucks) used in onsite mining operations. To qualify as mine equipment wash water under this general permit any soaps or detergents used for washing must be biodegradable and phosphate-free.
Suction Dredge Water – means wastewater generated from suction dredging in sand or gravel dredge mining operations conducted in surface waters classiied as Waters of the State and subsequently processed onshore to extract the sand or gravel. Suction dredge waters generated from dredging operations conducted in a mine pit are not included in this deinition.
Storm Water Associated with the Industrial Activity of Mining means storm water runoff, snow melt runoff, and surface runoff and drainage from facilities classiied as Standard Industrial Classiication 14 (non-metallic mineral industry) including active or inactive mining operations that discharge storm water contaminated by contact with or that has COME INTO CONTACT with, any overburden, raw material, intermediate products, inished products, byproducts or waste products located on the site of such operations. Inactive mining operations are mining sites that are not being actively mined, but which have an identiiable owner/operator; inactive mining sites do not include sites where mining claims are being maintained prior to disturbances associated with the extraction, beneiciation, or processing mined materials, nor sites where minimal activities are undertaken for the sole purpose of maintaining a mining claim.
Where To File NOI Form.
NOIs must be sent to the following address:
SC Department of Health & Environmental Control
Industrial Wastewater Permitting Section
2600 Bull Street
Columbia, SC 29201
Completing the Form
You must type or print all information. If you have any questions on this form, call S.C. DHEC at (803) 898-4300.
Revisions to a previously submitted NOI
If there are only changes in name, address, or site contact person, only Sections I, II and IV of the NOI are required to be completed. The entire NOI should be completed for changes in discharge(s) or discharge characteristics.
Fees
The annual NPDES administration fee of $100 is required to be submitted with the NOI for coverage of a new site. Make check payable to S.C. DHEC and attach to NOI.
Section I: Site/Operator Information.
Give the legal name and physical address of the site to be permitted, including city, state, zip and county. If the site lacks a street address, indicate the state or county highway number, the nearest town or city, or the quarter section, township, and range (to the nearest quarter section) of the approximate center of the site. Provide tax map numbers.
Give the legal name of the person, irm, public organization, or any other entity that operates the site described in this application. The name of the operator may or may not be the same name as the site. The operator of the site is the legal entity, which controls the site’s operation, rather than the property owner, or the plant or site manager. Do not use a colloquial name. Enter the physical address and telephone number of the home or regional ofice of the operator.
Operator Status: Indicate the legal ownership status of the operator: Federal, State, Public (other than federal or state), or Private
Section II: Site Contact Information
Enter the name, title and complete address and phone number of the person who is familiar with the operation of the site and with the facts reported in this NOI and to whom all permitting correspondence should be sent. If you would like to be contacted by email, you may enter your email address.
Section III: Site and Discharge Information.
A.List materials to be mined at the site. If sand and /or clay is mined solely for use as ill dirt list the material as “ill dirt”.
B.List the four 4-digit standard industrial classiication (SIC) codes that best describes the principal services provided at the site identiied in Section I. For the purposes of this permit a mining code in the 1400 series should be listed as the primary, a construction or excavation code (e.g. 1794) may be listed as one of the other codes.
C.Indicate the total number of acres to be affected by the mining activity.
D.Indicate whether the site is currently covered by the Nonmetallic Mineral Mining Discharge General Permit and give the permit number, if applicable. This section is used for updates to or transfers of existing permitted sites.
E.List any other NPDES or ND (land application) permits issued for the site, if applicable.
F.Indicate whether the site is required to obtain a Mine Operation Permit or whether the Mining Act exempts it. If the site is exempt, state the reason for the exemption (for example a SCDOT borrow pit).
G.Indicate whether the site has a discharge of mine dewatering, process generated wastewater, mine equipment wash water, or suction dredge water. Otherwise the site will be covered for stormwater only.
H.If there is a discharge of mine dewatering or process wastewater, mine equipment wash water, or suction dredge water, list the discharges for which coverage is sought. Actual or estimated low data should be included for the discharge. If coverage is sought for more than one discharge of the same type, please list each discharge separately. If more space is needed, attach a separate sheet. If there will only be stormwater covered by this permit, “stormwater” should be indicated.
Give the latitude and longitude (to the nearest 15 seconds) for each discharge and the name of the receiving waters. Name all waters to which discharge is made and which low into signiicant receiving waters. For example, if the discharge is made to a ditch, which lows into an unnamed tributary, which in turn lows into a named river, you should provide the name or description (if no name is available) of the ditch, the tributary and the river.
I.Describe any discharge low paths.
J.Provide an 8½ x 11 copy of the applicable portion of a US Geological Survey 7½ minute quad map. The map must show the outline of the site affected by mining and the location of any discharge point(s). The quad sheet name must be provided with the map.
K.Provide a detailed site map of the mining activity.
L.Provide additional information about the quality of the discharge.
M.Provide any other relevant information.
Section IV: Certiication
Please print the name and title of the authorized person and sign and date in accordance with the following:
Federal statutes provide for severe penalties for submitting false information on this application form. Federal regulations require this application to be signed as follows:
For a corporation: by a responsible corporate oficer, which means: (i) president, secretary, treasurer, or vice-president of the corporation in charge of a principal business function, or any other person who performs similar policy or decision making functions, or (ii) the manager of one or more manufacturing, production, or operating facilities employing more than 250 persons or having gross annual sales or expenditures exceeding $25 million (in second-quarter 1980), if authority to sign documents has been assigned or delegated to the manager in accordance with corporate procedures:
For a partnership or sole proprietorship: by a general partner or the proprietor; or
For a municipality, State, Federal, or other public facility: by either a principal executive oficer or ranking elected oficial.
Paperwork Reduction Act Notice
Public reporting burden for this application is estimated to average 1.5 hours per application, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding the burden estimate, any other aspect of the collection of information, or suggestions for improving this form, including any suggestions which may increase or reduce this burden to: Manager, Industrial Wastewater Permitting Section, Bureau of Water, S.C. Dept. of Health & Environmental Control, 2600 Bull Street, Columbia, SC 29201-1797.
