EHS Compliance, Permitting, Water/Wastewater

USEPA Issues New Dewatering and Remediation General Permit (DRGP)

Posted on by Dawn Horter

The USEPA Remediation General Permit that provided National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) coverage for site remediation discharge activities expired on April 8, 2022.  Discharges that were authorized under this permit were administratively continued until issuance of the new permit.  This new permit, which also incorporated dewatering activities, became effective on August 2, 2022 (August 31, 2022 in Massachusetts). 

The Final General Permit for Dewatering and Remediation Activity Discharges, now referred to as the DRGP (2022 DRGP) combines the Dewatering General Permit (DGP) and Remediation General Permit (RGP) for sites located in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, federal facilities in Vermont, and sites located on Indian country lands in Connecticut and Rhode Island. The DRGP provides NPDES coverage for discharges that are a result of four types of dewatering and remediation activities:  

1) Site remediation  

2) Site dewatering 

3) Infrastructure dewatering/remediation 

4) Material dewatering for four types of wastewaters  

  • Groundwater 
  • Stormwater   
  • Potable water   
  • Surface water 

The 2022 DRGP establishes electronic Notice of Intent (NOI), Change (CNOI), and Notice of Termination (NOT) requirements through USEPA’s NPDES e-reporting tool (NeT), effluent limitations and requirements, standard and special conditions, and best management practice (BMP) requirements for sites that discharge 1.0 million gallons per day or less. 

  • If you hold an administratively continued Dewatering General Permit or Remediation General Permit and have not reapplied for coverage under the 2022 DRGP, you should do so promptly as all DGP and RGP permits will be automatically terminated as of March 31, 2023.  
  • If you are anticipating a new discharge, application is requested to be made 30 days prior to the date the discharge is likely to begin. 
  • Note that emergency discharge may begin at any time provided notification to the USEPA has been made and a complete NOI is submitted within 30 days following the start of the emergency discharge. 

For more information, please contact dhorter@capaccio.com, the USEPA website https://www.epa.gov/npdes-permits/dewatering-and-remediation-general-permit-drgp or little.shauna@epa.gov.