ARCTIC OIL AND GAS EXPLORATION
                        WASTEWATER DISCHARGE PERMITS
                                  EARLY INFORMATION SHEET
f/EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Fall-Winter 2010
NPDES oil and gas exploration discharge general permits
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issues individual and general National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System (NPDES) permits to authorize and control the discharge of pollutants into waters of the United
States. General permits authorize one or more discharges from multiple facilities within a specific industrial
category (e.g., oil and gas exploration) and within the same geographic area (e.g. Chukchi Sea). A general NPDES
permit ensures regulatory consistency for similar facilities and activities within the same industrial category.

The existing Arctic NPDES General Permit will expire on June 26, 2011. EPA is working now to reissue this general
permit as two separate general permits: one for oil and gas exploration  discharges to the Beaufort Sea, and one
for oil and gas exploration discharges to the Chukchi Sea. EPA plans to issue the new general permits by the end
of 2011. Before issuing the general permits, EPA will consult with tribal  governments and hold a public comment
period.
Developing the new general permits
EPA is evaluating environmental and traditional
knowledge data to help us develop exploration
NPDES general permits that are protective of the
Beaufort and Chukchi environments. The status
of each activity associated with general permits
development is summarized below.

Ocean Discharge Criteria  Evaluation
Section 403 of the Clean Water Act requires EPA
to develop an Ocean Discharge Criteria
Evaluation (ODCE) to assess the environmental
impacts of NPDES permits and ensure the
discharges will  not cause unreasonable
degradation of ocean waters.  Unreasonable
degradation means:
  • Significant adverse changes in ecosystem
   diversity, productivity, and stability of the
   biological community within the area of discharge
   and surrounding biological communities; or
  • Threat to human health through direct exposure
   to pollutants or through consumption of exposed
   aquatic organisms; or
  • Loss of aesthetic, recreational, scientific, or
   economic values, which are unreasonable in
   relation to the benefit derived from the discharge.
One ODCE will be developed for each general
permit. EPA will share the preliminary findings of
the ODCEs with North Slope communities.
EPA Permit and Communications Schedule
Activities
Send permit project updates to North Slope
communities
Traditional Knowledge interview workshops
Share preliminary ODCE findings with North
Slope communities, stakeholders
Consult with State of Alaska for Coastal Zone
Management Act consistency
Consult with National Marine Fisheries Service,
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service per Endangered
Species Act, Marine Mammal Protection Act
Share early draft permits, fact sheet with tribal
governments for 30-day review
Request draft Clean Water Act Section 401
certification from Alaska Dept. of Environmental
Conservation
Release draft permits and a fact sheet for 60-day
public review
Public hearings and informational meetings with
North Slope communities
Respond to comments. Revise permits, fact sheet
Share preliminary final permits with tribal
governments
Issue final permits and response to comments
Dates
Ongoing
Fall 2010
Fall-Winter
2010
Fall 2010-
Spring2011
Fall 2010-
Spring 2011
Early Winter
2010
Early Winter
2010
Late Winter
2011
Early Spring
2011
Spring 2011
Summer 2011
Fall 2011
         EPA Information Sheet: Arctic Oil and Gas Exploration Wastewater Discharge Permits, Fall-Winter 2010

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Discharges allowed by the general permits
After the general permits are issued, individual operators seeking coverage under the permits must demonstrate
to EPA that they can meet the permit limits, requirements, and conditions. EPA will also plan and conduct
compliance activities to ensure that the permits are being followed. The following oil and gas exploration
discharges and waste streams may be authorized by the general permits:
      Drilling fluids, drilling cuttings
      Fire Control System Test Water
      Deck Drainages
      Non-contact Cooling Water
      Sanitary Wastes
      Uncontaminated Ballast Water
      Domestic Wastes
    Bilge Water
    Desalination Unit Wastes
    Excess Cement Slurry
    Blowout Preventer Fluid
    Mud, Cuttings, Cement at Sea Floor
    Boiler Slowdown
    Test Fluids
Dilution modeling
EPA is conducting dilution modeling to evaluate the dispersion and disposition of pollutants from each of the
waste streams listed above.  The modeling results will be incorporated into the ODCEs.

Traditional Knowledge
EPA hired Stephen R. Braund and Associates (SRB&A) to collect Traditional Knowledge (TK) information this year
from four coastal North Slope communities: Point Lay,  Barrow, Nuiqsut, and Kaktovik. The TK interviews will be
conducted with individuals during community workshops. The interviews will focus on knowledge of physical and
biological environments; subsistence activities; and knowledge, observations, and concerns about waste water
discharges from offshore oil  and gas activities.  Protection of confidential traditional information will be discussed
and addressed directly between SRB&A and the participating tribal communities. The TK report will be reviewed
by the participating Tribes before it is submitted to EPA. TK information will provide valuable local knowledge
that will assist the environmental analyses in the ODCEs.

General Permit limits
NPDES permits for the oil and gas industry must meet the numeric limits and requirements in the Code of Federal
Regulations (40 CFR Part 435), and if available, more stringent limits to control pollutants to meet the water
quality standards of the receiving waters. EPA will also use the results of the ODCE, dilution modeling, and TK
data to establish additional permit monitoring requirements and restrictions.

U.S. and Norway petroleum industry discharge regulations
EPA heard questions from the North Slope communities about the differences in discharge regulations for oil and
gas activities between the U.S. and Norway. EPA developed a fact sheet comparing the different ways that the
U.S. and Norway manage waste water discharges from petroleum exploration and development in coastal and
offshore waters.  EPA's draft fact sheet, Regulating Petroleum Industry Discharges in the United States and
Norway, will be shared with  North Slope communities and stakeholders this fall.
EPA CONTACTS
Hanh Shaw
NPDES Project Manager
(206) 553-0171 shaw.hanh@epa.gov

Dianne Soderlund
Oil and Gas Sector Manager
(907) 271-3425 soderlund.dianne@epa.gov
Suzanne Skadowski
Community Involvement Coordinator
(206) 553-6689 skadowski.suzanne@epa.gov

More information on the general permits:
http://vosemite. epa.gov/R10/WATER. NSF/NPDES+Permit
s/General+NPDES+Permits
         EPA Information Sheet: Arctic Oil and Gas Exploration Wastewater Discharge Permits, Fall-Winter 2010

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