{"abstract":"The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposes revisions to the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System regulations to eliminate regulatory and application form inconsistencies; improve permit documentation, transparency and oversight; clarify existing regulations; and remove outdated provisions. This proposal would make specific targeted changes to the existing regulations and would not reopen the regulations for other specific or comprehensive revision. These proposed regulatory changes cover 15 topics in the following major categories: permit applications; the water quality-based permitting process; permit objection, documentation and process efficiencies; the vessels exclusion; and the Clean Water Act (CWA) section 401 certification process. These revisions would further align NPDES regulations with statutory requirements from the 1987 CWA Amendments and more recent case law requirements. By modernizing the NPDES regulations, the proposed revisions would provide NPDES permit writers with improved tools to write well-documented permits to protect human health and the environment. The revisions would also provide the public with enhanced opportunities for public participation in permitting actions.","action":"Proposed rule.","agencies":[{"raw_name":"ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY","name":"Environmental Protection Agency","id":145,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/environmental-protection-agency","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/145","parent_id":null,"slug":"environmental-protection-agency"}],"body_html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/html/2016/05/18/2016-11265.html","cfr_references":[{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":122,"title":40},{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":123,"title":40},{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":124,"title":40},{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":125,"title":40}],"citation":"81 FR 31344","comment_url":null,"comments_close_on":"2016-07-18","correction_of":null,"corrections":[],"dates":"Comments must be received on or before July 18, 2016.","disposition_notes":null,"docket_ids":["EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0145","FRL 9936-62-OW"],"dockets":[{"supporting_documents":[{"title":"Revised NPDES Application Forms (11-30-18)","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0145-0504"},{"title":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0145 Stakeholder Meeting Memo 12.12.17","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0145-0500"},{"title":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0145 Stakeholder Meeting Memo 10.10.18","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0145-0497"},{"title":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0145 Stakeholder Meeting Memo 07.26.17","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0145-0493"},{"title":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0145 Stakeholder Meeting Memo 07.20.16","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0145-0492"},{"title":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0145 Stakeholder Meeting Memo 06.30.16","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0145-0491"},{"title":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0145 Stakeholder Meeting Memo 06.27.17","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0145-0490"},{"title":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0145 Stakeholder Meeting Memo 06.02.16","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0145-0487"},{"title":"1987 SIC_2002 NAICS_2007 NAICS_2012 NAICS_2017 NAICS","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0145-0484"},{"title":"NPDES Applications and Update Rule_EPA Response to Comments (12-20-18)","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0145-0483"}],"agency_name":"EPA","documents":[{"comment_count":14888,"comment_start_date":"2016-05-18","updated_at":"2023-03-01T03:48:38.798-05:00","comment_url":"https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0145-0001","allow_late_comments":null,"id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0145-0001","comment_end_date":"2016-08-03","regulations_dot_gov_open_for_comment":false}],"supporting_documents_count":46,"id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0145","title":"National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System: Application and Program Updates"},{"supporting_documents":[{"title":"NPDES Proposed Application Form 2S","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0146-0009"},{"title":"NPDES Proposed Application Form 2F","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0146-0008"},{"title":"NPDES Proposed Application Form 2E","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0146-0007"},{"title":"NPDES Proposed Application Form 2D","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0146-0006"},{"title":"NPDES Proposed Application Form 2C","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0146-0005"},{"title":"NPDES Proposed Application Form 2B","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0146-0004"},{"title":"NPDES Proposed Application Form 2A","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0146-0003"},{"title":"NPDES Proposed Application Form 1","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0146-0002"}],"agency_name":null,"documents":[{"comment_count":22,"comment_start_date":"2016-05-18","updated_at":"2023-03-01T03:48:39.254-05:00","comment_url":"https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0146-0001","allow_late_comments":null,"id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0146-0001","comment_end_date":"2016-08-03","regulations_dot_gov_open_for_comment":false}],"supporting_documents_count":8,"id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0146","title":"National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System potential future changes to application forms and information collection requirements"}],"document_number":"2016-11265","effective_on":null,"end_page":31374,"executive_order_notes":null,"executive_order_number":null,"full_text_xml_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/xml/2016/05/18/2016-11265.xml","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2016/05/18/2016-11265/national-pollutant-discharge-elimination-system-npdes-applications-and-program-updates","images":{},"images_metadata":{},"json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/documents/2016-11265?publication_date=2016-05-18","mods_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/metadata/granule/FR-2016-05-18/2016-11265/mods.xml","not_received_for_publication":null,"page_length":31,"page_views":{"count":13252,"last_updated":"2026-06-27 00:15:03 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Significant"}},"regulation_id_numbers":["2040-AF25"],"regulations_dot_gov_info":{"supporting_documents":[{"title":"Revised NPDES Application Forms (11-30-18)","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0145-0504"},{"title":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0145 Stakeholder Meeting Memo 12.12.17","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0145-0500"},{"title":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0145 Stakeholder Meeting Memo 10.10.18","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0145-0497"},{"title":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0145 Stakeholder Meeting Memo 07.26.17","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0145-0493"},{"title":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0145 Stakeholder Meeting Memo 07.20.16","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0145-0492"},{"title":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0145 Stakeholder Meeting Memo 06.30.16","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0145-0491"},{"title":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0145 Stakeholder Meeting Memo 06.27.17","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0145-0490"},{"title":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0145 Stakeholder Meeting Memo 06.02.16","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0145-0487"},{"title":"1987 SIC_2002 NAICS_2007 NAICS_2012 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Updates","checked_regulationsdotgov_at":"2023-03-01T08:48:37Z"},"regulations_dot_gov_url":null,"significant":true,"signing_date":null,"start_page":31344,"subtype":null,"title":"National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES): Applications and Program Updates","toc_doc":"Applications and Program Updates","toc_subject":"National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System:","topics":["Administrative practice and procedure","Air pollution control","Confidential business information","Environmental protection","Hazardous substances","Hazardous waste","Indians-lands","Intergovernmental relations","Penalties","Reporting and recordkeeping requirements","Waste treatment and disposal","Water pollution control","Water supply"],"type":"Proposed Rule","volume":81}