General permits — storm water discharge

1. If a permit is required pursuant to this chapter or chapter 459, 459A, or 459B for storm water discharge or an air contaminant source and a facility to be permitted is representative of a class of facilities which could be described and conditioned by a single permit, the director may issue, modify, deny, or revoke a general permit for all of the following conditions:

a. If adoption of a general permit is proposed, the terms, conditions, and limitations of the permit shall be drafted into a notice of intended action and adopted in accordance with the provisions of chapter 17A as a rule of the department. The same process of adoption shall be used for modification of a general permit.

b. Following the effective date of a general permit, a person proposing to conduct activities covered by the general permit shall provide a notice of intent to conduct a covered activity on a form provided by the department. A person shall also provide public notice of intent to conduct activities covered under the general permit by publishing notice in one newspaper with the largest circulation in the area in which the facility is located. Notice of the discontinuation of a permitted activity other than storm water and allowable nonstorm water discharges shall be provided in the same manner.

c. If the department finds that a proposed activity is not covered by a general permit, the department shall notify the affected person and shall provide the person with a permit application if the practice is one which could be authorized by individual permit.

d. A person holding an existing permit is subject to the terms of the existing permit until it expires. If the person holding an existing permit continues the activity beyond the expiration date of the existing permit, an applicable, approved general permit shall become effective.

e. A variance or alteration of the terms and conditions of a general permit shall not be granted. If a variance or modification of an operation authorized by a general permit is desired, the applicant shall apply for an individual permit.

f. The department shall perform on-site inspections and review monitoring data to assess the effectiveness of general permits. If a significant adverse environmental problem exists for an individual facility or class of facilities due to regulation under a general permit, the facility or class of facilities shall be required to obtain individual permits.

g. The department shall establish a procedure for the filing of complaints by persons believing themselves to be adversely affected by the environmental impact of the discharge of a facility operating under a general permit under this section.

2. General permits are not subject to the requirements applicable to individual permits.

3. Three years after the adoption of a general permit by rule, the department shall assess the activities which have been conducted under the general permit and determine whether any significant adverse environmental consequences have resulted.

4. a. Except as provided in paragraph “b”, an applicant to be covered under a general permit shall pay a permit fee, as established by rule of the commission, which is sufficient in the aggregate to defray the costs of the permit program. Moneys collected shall be remitted to the department.

b. The commission shall adopt rules for a general permit described in section 455B.197, including fees, only to the extent that the rules are consistent with that section.

5. The enforcement provisions of subchapter II of this chapter and chapter 459, subchapter II, apply to general permits for air contaminant sources. The enforcement provisions of subchapter III, part 1, of this chapter, chapter 459, subchapter III, and chapter 459A apply to general permits for storm water discharge.