Summary

EPA has formulated a draft permit for the LANL – Industrial Wastewater Permit under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES).  Development of the draft permit was based on a preliminary staff review by EPA, Region 6, and consultation with applicable States and/or Tribes.  The permit will become effective 30 days after the close of the comment period unless:

A.     Applicable State and/or Tribe denies certification under section 401 of the Clean Water Act, or requests an extension for certification prior to the date.

B.     Comments received by deadlines listed for individual Public Notice(s) below in accordance with 40 CFR §124.20, warrant a public notice of EPA's final permit decision. 

C.     A public hearing is held requiring delay of the effective date.

EPA's comment and public hearing procedures may be found at 40 CFR §124.10 and §124.12.  The comment period during which written comments on the draft permits may be submitted is noted for the individual Public Notice.  During the comment period, any interested person may request a Public Hearing by filing a written request which must state the issues to be raised.  A public hearing will be held when EPA finds a significant degree of public interest.

Public Meeting & Public Hearing

This is a notice informing the public that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Region 6 will conduct a public meeting and a public hearing for the proposed renewal National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit authorization of industrial wastewater discharges under Permit No. NM0028355 and stormwater discharges under Permit No. NM0030759, respectively, from the Los Alamos National Laboratory, located in Los Alamos County, NM. The NM0028355 Permit covers wastewater discharges from currently active operations. The NM0030759 Permit covers about 400 storm water discharges from Solid Waste Management Units (SWMUs) and Areas of Concern (AOCs) (collectively, as Sites in the Permit) on LANL’s property. EPA will hold informal public meetings which will include a presentation on the proposed permits and question and answer sessions. Draft permits and fact sheets can be found at EPA’s web site at https://19january2021snapshot.epa.gov/publicnotices.

The Presiding Officer designated by the Regional Administrator of EPA, Region 6, will conduct a public hearing on the draft NPDES permit, with a public information meeting and question and answer session prior to the public hearing, at the locations below:

Los Alamos National Laboratory    Permit No. NM0028355

            Place:   Pojoaque Valley Sixth Grade Academy
                           1574 State Road 502 West, Santa Fe, NM 87506

            Time:   Public Meeting 5:00 pm; Public Hearing 7:00 pm

            Date:   January 15, 2020

Los Alamos National Laboratory    Permit No. NM0030759

            Place:   Pojoaque Valley Sixth Grade Academy
                           1574 State Road 502 West, Santa Fe, NM 87506

            Time:   Public Meeting 5:00 pm; Public Hearing 7:00 pm

            Date:   TBD

Registration for the hearing will be thirty (30) minutes before the start of the hearing. Any person requiring special arrangements should notify EPA through the contact person listed below within ten (10) days of this notice.  The public hearing will be held in accordance with the requirements of 40 CFR 124.12. At the public hearing, any person may submit oral or written statements and data concerning the proposed permit.  Any person who cannot attend the public hearing may still submit written comments through the end of the comment period.        

For more information, please contact Ms. Evelyn Rosborough, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, at (214) 665-7515 or Rosborough.evelyn@epa.gov.

Further information regarding the administrative record may be requested from the EPA contact above or viewed at the above address between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.  It is recommended that you write or call to the contact above for an appointment, so the record (s) will be available at your convenience.

Important: The public comment period is being extended to allow 30 days for review and comment on a revision to the draft permit and fact sheet.  An error in the reasonable potential analysis for Outfall 03A181 was discovered and limitations for Hexavalent Chromium have been added to the draft permit and the fact sheet has been revised.  Comments on the entire draft permit, including the revisions for Outfall 03A181, will now be due March 31, 2020.

Review the draft permit and associated documents

LANL Industrial Wastewater Permit - Draft Permit No. NM0028355