§ 136.5 - Approval of alternate test procedures for limited use.

§ 136.5 Approval of alternate test procedures for limited use.

Cross Reference

Link to an amendment published at 82 FR 40875, Aug. 28, 2017.

(a) Any person may request the Regional Alternate Test Procedure ( ATP ) Coordinator or permitting authority to approve the use of an alternate test procedure in the Region.

(b) When the request for the use of an alternate test procedure concerns use in a State with an NPDES permit program approved pursuant to section 402 of the Act, the requestor shall first submit an application for limited use to the Director of the State agency having responsibility for issuance of NPDES permits within such State (i.e., permitting authority). The Director will forward the application to the Regional ATP Coordinator or permitting authority with a recommendation for or against approval.

(c) Any application for approval of an alternate test procedure for limited use may be made by letter, email or by hard copy. The application shall include the following:

(1) Provide the name and address of the applicant and the applicable ID number of the existing or pending permit(s) and issuing agency for which use of the alternate test procedure is requested, and the discharge serial number.

(2) Identify the pollutant or parameter for which approval of an alternate test procedure is being requested.

(3) Provide justification for using testing procedures other than those specified in Tables IA through IH of § 136.3, or in the NPDES permit.

(4) Provide a detailed description of the proposed alternate test procedure, together with references to published studies of the applicability of the alternate test procedure to the effluents in question.

(5) Provide comparability data for the performance of the proposed alternate test procedure compared to the performance of the reference method.

(d) Approval for limited use.

(1) After a review of the application by the Alternate Test Procedure The Regional ATP Coordinator or permitting authority, the Regional ATP Coordinator or permitting authority notifies will review the application and notify the applicant and the appropriate State agency of approval or rejection of the use of the alternate test procedure. The approval may be restricted to use only with respect to a specific discharge or facility (and its laboratory) or, at the discretion of the Regional ATP Coordinator or permitting authority, to all discharger dischargers or facilities (and their associated laboratories) specified in the approval for the Region. If the application is not approved, the Regional ATP Coordinator or permitting authority shall specify what additional information might lead to a reconsideration of the application.

(2) The Regional ATP Coordinator or permitting authority will forward a copy of every approval and rejection notification to the National Alternate Test Procedure Coordinator.

[77 FR 29809, May 18, 2012, as amended at 82 FR 40875, Aug. 28, 2017]