Virtual Roundtable: Understanding EPA's NPDES Pesticide General Permit

May 1, 2024 - Virtual Roundtable: Understanding EPA's NPDES Pesticide General Permit - 9:00 AM:  

Are you a water system applying herbicides to your reservoir for Algal control?  The EPA is reauthorizing the NPDES General Permit for Pesticides (The current 2021 PGP is expiring on October 31, 2026, at the end of its five-year term­).  This permit applies to Public Water Systems applying under the following thresholds: “Treatment during a calendar year if more than either: 20 linear miles OR 80 acres of water (i.e., surface area).”  We invite you to a Roundtable on May 1^st at 9 AM where EPA Region 1 will give us an overview of the draft permit.  Since Massachusetts issues a separate state permit, MassDEP has a draft Water Quality Certification out for public comment right now.  MassDEP has proposed in their draft Certification that they would do an antidegradation analysis by class for operators, this would mean that all reservoirs would be a “class” and you would have to apply by the standards set.  See: Draft Water Quality Certification for Proposed 2026 Pesticide General Permit
Public Notice | View Draft Permit on EPA.gov
Public Comment Period: Ends April 7, 2024

We want to discuss the conditions that warrant application and the best management practices employed when applying herbicides to your reservoir.  Please email Jennifer Pederson, and she will send you the Zoom link for the meeting.