Draft National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) General Permit for Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems in New Mexico (NMR040000)

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 6 Water Quality Protection Division, today is proposing for public comment the reissuance of a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) general permit for storm water discharges from small municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s) located within the State of New Mexico except MS4s located in Indian lands, Los Alamos County, the Middle Rio Grande Sub-Watersheds described in Appendix A of the NPDES permit No NMR04A000, or within the area of another MS4 permit. This proposed permit offers discharge authorization to regulated small MS4s within the boundaries of the Bureau of the Census-designated 2000 and 2010 Farmington, Santa Fe, Los Lunas, Las Cruces and El Paso Urbanized Areas and any other small MS4s in the State of New Mexico designated by the Director as needing a MS4 permit, other than those primarily located in Los Alamos. This permit is intended to replace the expired general permit NMR040000. The Director is also providing notice of public meetings to be held regarding today's proposed general permit reissuance. The Region is also providing notice that general permits NMR04000I and OKR04000I (MS4s on Indian Country lands in New Mexico and Oklahoma, respectively) are not being reissued and are considered terminated by expiration.