Summary
1) Proposed Wastewater (NPDES) Permit No. NE0113212
2) Proposed Certification of Compliance with Section 401 of the Clean Water Act
This public notice is issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7 (EPA). EPA is seeking comments on: 1) a proposed National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit, under Section 402 of the Clean Water Act (CWA), for the discharge of wastewater from the Village of Winnebago wastewater treatment facility (facility) operated by the Village of Winnebago, and 2) a certification under Section 401 of the CWA that EPA’s proposed NPDES permit for the facility is protective of applicable water quality standards and effluent guidelines and limitations.
EPA is seeking written comments regarding these proposed actions until Jan. 20, 2020. The address for written comments or to request a public hearing is shown below.
BACKGROUND: NPDES permits to discharge wastewater to waters of the United States are issued under Section 402 of the CWA, 33 U.S.C. Section 1342, subject to certain effluent limitations and other conditions. The Village of Winnebago has applied to EPA for an NPDES permit to discharge treated wastewater from the facility, which consists of an eight-cell wastewater lagoon system. The facility discharges treated wastewater to Omaha Creek, through an outfall located within the exterior boundaries of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska Indian Reservation. EPA has the authority to issue an NPDES permit for this facility, located and discharging in Indian country. On the basis of information provided to EPA by the Village of Winnebago, and application of pertinent standards and regulations, EPA proposes to issue NPDES Permit No. NE0113212 to the facility, pursuant to Section 402 of the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. Section 1342.
PROPOSED NPDES PERMIT: The proposed permit would allow treated wastewater from the facility to be discharged to Omaha Creek. The proposed permit includes technology-based and water quality-based effluent limitations. Additional information regarding this proposed permit is contained in the Administrative Record, which includes the permit application, proposed permit, Statement of Basis for the proposed permit, and other pertinent information upon which the proposed permit is based.
CERTIFICATION OF COMPLIANCE WITH CWA SECTION 401: Before EPA may issue the final NPDES permit for the facility, EPA must certify under Section 401 of the CWA, 33 U.S.C. Section 1341, that the discharge to be authorized by this proposed permit will comply with the requirements of Sections 301, 302, 303, 306, and 307 of the CWA, including applicable water quality standards and effluent guidelines and limitations. EPA has reviewed the applicable water quality standards and effluent guidelines and has specified limitations and conditions in the permit to ensure compliance with such requirements, as described in the proposed permit and Statement of Basis. At this time, EPA seeks public comments regarding the Agency’s proposal to certify that the discharge authorized under NPDES Permit No. NE0113212 will not violate applicable water quality standards or effluent guidelines and limitations.
ADMINISTRATIVE RECORD AVAILABILITY: The Administrative Record and other information concerning EPA’s proposed NPDES permit are available for review from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, at the Permits and Loans Branch, Water Division, EPA Region 7, 11201 Renner Boulevard, Lenexa, KS 66219 (Attention: Alex Owutaka, Phone: 913-551-7584). Copies of these documents are also available for review at the Village of Winnebago Office, 300 Mathewson St., Winnebago, NE 68071 (Attention: Rick Huffman or Tyren Wolfe, Phone: 402-878-2938).
For more information about available documents, please call Alex Owutaka, EPA Region 7, at 913-551-7584 or toll-free at 1-800-223-0425.
HOW TO PROVIDE COMMENTS: Interested persons may submit written comments regarding these proposed EPA actions or submit a written request for a public hearing on the proposed permit. Any request for a public hearing must state the nature of the issues that the requester proposes to raise at the hearing. EPA’s rules and procedures governing the issuance of NPDES permits, public comment period, and public hearings on proposed NPDES permits are found at 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Parts 25 and 124 and are also available for review in the Administrative Record for the proposed permit. All written comments and any requests for a public hearing must be submitted by Jan. 20, 2020, to Glenn Curtis, Chief, Permits and Loans Branch, Water Division, EPA Region 7, 11201 Renner Boulevard, Lenexa, KS 66219.