Oregon DEQ: Water Quality Permit Progrom - NPDES Stormwater General Permit Application Forms and Permit Fees

In June 2010, DEQ approved Oregon Resources Corporation’s application for registration to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) General Permit 1200-A. This permit provides conditions and requirements for managing stormwater runoff from its proposed chromite mining activities near Coos Bay.

Documents Available for Review
Background on General Permits
Contact

The purpose of the 1200-A general permit coverage is to ensure that Oregon Resources Corporation’s proposed mining activities are properly managed to prevent pollution of stormwater runoff. DEQ does not have jurisdiction over land use issues and cannot address issues about the use of the property for mining activities. By statute, DEQ registers qualified applicants to the general permit if they can demonstrate that they are able to meet the conditions of the permit.

Public Comments

DEQ had extended the comment period in response to concerns that public notice of Oregon Resource Corporation’s permit application in early March 2010 was inadequate. Twenty eight individuals and organizations submitted comments during the extended comment period, which ended during May 2010. DEQ and the Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI) completed their response to comments on June 2010, which is provided below:

DEQ and DOGAMI Response to Comments on 1200-A Permit Application PDF

DEQ held an informational meeting on Wednesday, May 5, 2010 at 7:00 PM in the Myrtlewood Room at Coos Bay Library, 525 Anderson Ave, Coos Bay, 97420. The purpose of the meeting was to provide local citizens and other interested parties with more information about Oregon Resources Corporation’s application and the DEQ stormwater general permit. The meeting also provided an opportunity for the public to ask questions and express concerns.

During an extended comment period, DEQ considered comments directly related to the adequacy of Oregon Resource Corporation’s proposed stormwater pollution control plan and the ability of the company to meet the requirements of the permit.

Documents Available for Review

Hard copies of these documents are available for review at DEQ’s Coos Bay office, 381 N Second St, Coos Bay, 97420 (Monday-Friday 8:00 AM - noon, 1:00 - 5:00 PM.

Background on General Permits

General permits, such as the 1200-A, are used by DEQ to regulate a group of activities with a standard set of conditions. General permits are developed for activities that DEQ believes can be regulated with the same set of conditions regardless of where an individual operation may occur. For example, a quarrying activity in Bend would have the same set of permit conditions as a quarrying activity in Coos Bay if both operations meet the registration requirements for the 1200-A. Although there are no site-specific conditions in general permits, specific site conditions are addressed by the applicant’s stormwater pollution control plan as required by the 1200-A general permit.

DEQ issues general permits once every five years and applicants are “registered” to a general permit if they can meet the registration requirements. In the case of the 1200-A general permit, an applicant must submit a stormwater pollution control plan to DEQ to demonstrate that permit requirements can be met, and the registration application and the associated stormwater pollution control plan are subject to a minimum 14-day public notice period as described in the permit. Public hearings are not conducted for general permit registrations and not all general permits require public notice prior to registration.

Contact

For questions, please contact Bill Mason, DEQ, at (541) 687-7427 (toll-free in Oregon at 1-800-844-8467) or by e-mail.

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Oregon Resources Corporation's Stormwater Runoff Permit