Watershed-Based Approaches for Nutrient Permitting

This paper discusses the concepts of watershed-based permitting and its application in the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting program. It will highlight the following real-world eXamples of how the approach can be used to address nutrient pollution problems:Connecticut’s General Watershed—based Permit for Nitrogen Dischargers in Long Island Sound Watershed: This Nitrogen General Permit has helped publicly owned Treatment Works (POTWs) the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL)-mandated Waste Load Allocation (WLA) for nitrogen in the Long Island Sound.North Carolina’s Compliance Association Watershed-Based Permit for the Neuse River: This watershed-based permit uses group compliance mechanisms by the co-permittees to help meet the terms of the permit.Virginia’s General Watershed-based Permit for dischargers in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed: this General Permit covers dischargers of Nitrogen and Phosphorus in the Commonwealth of Virginia discharging to the Chesapeake Bay watershed.