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National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)

Pesticide Permitting-2016 PGP

EPA's 2016 Pesticide General Permit (PGP) is effective from October 31, 2016 through midnight October 31, 2021.

The general permit, issued under the Clean Water Act’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, regulates point source discharges of biological pesticides and chemical pesticides that leave a residue. The 2016 PGP replaces the 2011 PGP and contains the same requirements and provisions. The permit covers mosquito and other flying insect pest control; weed and algae pest control; animal pest control; and forest canopy pest control.

All Operators are covered automatically under the permit through January 12, 2017, although the permit requirements must be met as of October 31, 2016.


Summary Factsheets for Permittees


Implementation Tools for Permittees

Part 1.1.1 of the PGP: Activities Covered

This permit is available to operators who discharge to waters of the United States.

Part 1.1.2.1 of the PGP: Discharges to Water Quality Impaired Waters

Operators are not eligible for coverage under this permit for any discharges from a pesticide application to waters of the United States if the water is identified as impaired by a substance which either is an active ingredient in that pesticide or is a degradate of such an active ingredient.

For purposes of this permit, impaired waters are those that have been identified by a state, tribe, or EPA pursuant to section 303(d) of the CWA as not meeting applicable state or tribal water quality standards. Impaired waters, for the purposes of this permit, consist of both waters with EPA-approved or EPA-established total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) and waters for which EPA has not yet approved or established a TMDL.

Part 1.1.2.2 of the PGP: Discharges to Waters Designated as Tier Three for Antidegradation Purposes

EPA's List of Tier Three Waters for the PGP (Outstanding National Resource Waters) - EPA compiled a list of tier three waters as a resource for operators who must determine whether they discharge to a tier three water. Only tier three waters specifically identified by a water quality standard authority (e.g., a state, territory, or tribe) are identified in the table.

Part 1.1.2.4 of the PGP: Endangered and threatened species and critical habitat protection under the PGP

Refer to the Endangered Species Act (ESA) Procedures page.

Part 1.2.2 of the PGP: Decision-makers Required to Submit a Notice of Intent

Requires certain operators to submit a Notice of Intent (NOI). An NOI provides notice to EPA that a decision-maker intends to discharge to waters of the United States from pesticide application activities eligible for coverage under this permit.

Refer to the eNOI page.

Part 3 of the PGP: Water Quality-Based Effluent Limitations

Requires all operators to control discharges as necessary to meet applicable numeric and narrative state or tribal water quality standards.

Part 5 of the PGP: Pesticide Discharge Management Plan

Requires certain operators to develop a Pesticide Discharge Management Plan.

Part 6.4 of the PGP: Adverse Incident Documentation and Reporting

Requires all operators to report adverse incident which may have resulted from a discharge from a pesticide application.

Part 6.5 of the PGP: Reportable Spills and Leaks

Requires all operators to report spills. Regulations on reportable quantities for reporting spills to the National Response Center include:

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