Środowisko i energia · 22/09/2004

Final National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) General Permit for Offshore Oil and Gas Exploration, Development and Production Operations Off Southern California

EPA, Region 9 is today issuing a final general NPDES permit (permit No. CAG280000) for discharges from offshore oil and gas exploration, development and production facilities located in Federal waters off the coast of Southern California. The general permit establishes effluent limitations, prohibitions, and other conditions for discharges from platforms that engage in such operations within the geographic coverage area of the general permit. The general permit applies to 22 existing development and production platforms as well as to any new exploratory drilling operations located in and discharging to specified lease blocks on the Pacific Outer Continental Shelf offshore Southern California. EPA is issuing this general permit to replace existing permits for the 22 platforms, some of which have been in place for many years. Today's general permit will achieve significant environmental benefits compared to the existing permits. In particular, the permit incorporates effluent limitation guidelines promulgated by EPA in 1993 for this industry, which have already been implemented for other offshore oil and gas platforms in the United States. In addition, the permit provides for a one-y