Facilities
Management oversees the following permits that are the regulatory
framework for the UMaine campus. These permits directly effect energy
conservation, efficient utilization and the environmental impact on our
campus and surrounding community.
Air Emission License
Chapter 137 and Title 5
The Chapter
137 Air Emission License Maine Department of of
Environmental Protection covers air emissions into the
atmosphere from fuel to burning equipment and certain
chemical processes, such as printing and the pulp and paper
process. In all cases, licenses are issued with an emphasis
on operating efficient systems to reduce emissions. To this
effect, print making operations, individual building boiler
operations, steam plant boiler operations, and research that
creates emissions are engineered to efficiently use
fuels/raw materials to emit specific volumes of pollutants
to meet our permit and minimize our environmental impact
related to these operations. Various inspections, employee
training, and maintaining efficient operations are required
to comply with this permit.
Five-year
permit: Effective December, 2008
Stormwater Pollution
Prevention Plan (SWPPP - Industrial Activities)
The SWPPP is a permit issued
by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection to
prevent contaminants from entering the storm sewer system
and ultimately the ground water system. UMaine surrendered
its SWPPP permit and administratively incorporated the
original plan into UMaine's MS4 permit. The plan is covered
under the 1987 amendments to the EPA Clean Water Act,EPA
1990 stormwater permit process, and the 1992 EPA baseline
general permit. Preventing and eliminating the discharge of
pollutants to stormwater minimizes the environmental impact
of the two operations covered by this plan, our motor
freight transportation and warehousing operation and scrap
metal recycling operations. Both of these operations occur
outside and are exposed to rain and snow melt with potential
to create polluted run-off to the Penobscot River.
Performing quarterly inspections, employee training,
maintenance of select best management practices, and
mitigating any non-compliant and polluting practices are
required to comply with this plan.
A component
of MS4
Maine Pollution Discharge
elimination System (MEPDES) Permit
Waste discharge licenses (or
"permits") are issued by the Maine Department of
Environmental Protection, consistent with the rules of the
United States Environmental Protection Agency, to
individuals or entities that desire to discharge pollutants
directly to the waters of the State. UMaine discharges
swimming pool water monthly to the Stillwater River under
the MEPDES permit as the cost of connecting the existing
infrastructure to sanitary sewer is cost prohibitive. Under
the permit, pool water is discharged from the Wallace Pool
after it meets MEDEP set maximums for pH, total suspended
solids and chlorine to reduce our environmental impact by
preventing the pollution and degradation of the Stillwater
River. Quarterly tests, employee training, and proper
maintenance of the pool system are required to comply with
the permit.
Current five
year MEPDES permit: Effective March, 2008
Municipal Separate Storm
Sewer System (MS4)
The MS4 general permit
authorizes the direct discharge of stormwater from or
associated with a regulated small MS4 operated by a State or
Federally-owned regulated small MS4 to a MS4 or waters of
the State other than groundwater. Discharges must meet the
requirements of this general permit and applicable
provisions of Maine's waste discharge and water
classification statutes and rules. This general permit
authorizes discharges in thos parts of Maine for which the
MEDEP has received delegated authority under the federal
MPDES program. Stormwater leaves the 647 acre main campus
via stormwater sewers, gullies, swales, and infiltration.
Numerous BMPs are implemented consistent with the required
six minimum control measures to educate and involve the
population about stormwater and its effects, properly
maintain hazardous and chemical pollutants, control and
mitigate construction run-off (projects one acre or more,
good housekeeping, illicit discharge detection, and post
construction conveyances management, inspection and
maintenance. Purpose of permit is to minimize non-point
source pollution to water bodies from run-off and reduce the
environmental impact of our stormwater from primarily
impervious surfaces. Periodic inspections, infrastructure
inventory and maintenance, outfall inspections, illicit
discharge detection and mitigation, employee training, and
general public education and participation are required to
comply with the permit.
Current five
year general permit: Effective November, 2008
Site Location of
Development Act (SLODA)
This legislation was crated in
1970 and updated in 1975 to its current requirement for
developments that exceed certain size limitations to be
subject to the control of the Maine Department of
Environmental Protection (MEDEP). The purpose of SLODA is to
provide a method for the State to control the location of
development which will substantially affect the local
environment and ensure that such developments will have a
minimal impact on the natural environment within the site on
its surroundings. Once permitted, UMaine must request
permission for any change in impervious areas. UMaine was
subjected to an after-the-fact permit, which reviewed 27
different impacts. Numerous impacts relate to environmental
impact, such as stormwater management, air emissions,
groundwater, waste management, wildlife and fisheries,
surface drainage and run-off, and more. Implementing
engineering controls, BMPs and compliance strategies in
place for related environmental permitting reduces the
environmental impact of our development and ongoing
use/management/maintenance of our infrastructure. Employee
training, project permitting, and proper/compliant design
and development techniques are required to comply with this
permit.
Current permit: Effective
January, 1998
(amended on a per project basis)
Spill Prevention Control
and Countermeasures Plan (SPCC)
The purpose of UMaine's Spill
Prevention, Control and Countermeasures Plan (SPCC) is to
prevent the discharge of oil into or upon the navigable
waters of the United States and adjoining shorelines.
UMaine's primary concern regarding this Plan is the
prevention of a discharge of oil to navigable waters via
surface water run-off and storm/floor drains. The UMaine
SPCC Plan is delineated into six sub-plans: Dining Services;
Facility Buildings; Service/Garage; Steam Plant;
Transformer; and Witter Center. The administrator of
each sub-plan is responsible for ensuring their staff
carries out the responsibilities as detailed in their
sub-plans. At any time, UMaine has more than 240,000 gallons
of petroleum and vegetable based oils on site covered by
this plan. Specified BMPs are employed within the areas
managed by the six sub-plans focusing on spill prevention
and mitigation, such as secondary containment, spill
response equipment and procedures, and detection equipment,
and infrastructure upgrades to reduce and eliminate the
discharge of oil to the waters of Maine and reduce the
environmental impact of operations utilizing oils. Employee
training, monthly and annual inspections, good housekeeping,
and BMP implementation and maintenance are required to
comply with this program. A Memorandum of Agreement with
MEDEP for clean-up by owner is also maintained.
Current five
year permit: Effective November, 2008
Wetland
Regulations
Impacts to wetlands are regulated by
the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (Maine DEP) and the Army Corps
of Engineers (ACOE), and may be regulated at the municipal level depending upon
the resource.
Rules
and regulations that apply to wetland and other resource alterations include the
Maine Natural Resources Protection Act (NRPA), Maine Site Location Law, Maine
Mandatory Shoreland Zoning Act, and the federal Clean Water Act.Wetland impacts
to a property are cumulative with each new impact adding to the total. Based
upon current cumulative impacts at the University of Maine campus, any future
impacts will require a NRPA permit from the Maine DEP and a Permit from the ACOE.
These permits may take up to 120 days for approval once the application is
received and deemed complete. In addition, a modification to the
University’s existing Site Location permit may be needed depending upon the
project. A permit may also be required from the town if the project occurs
within the shoreland zone.
The
placement of fill material within a wetland constitutes an impact under both the
NRPA and Clean Water Act. In addition, clearing of vegetation within a wetland
with or without soil disturbance is considered an impact under the NRPA with
exceptions related to activities such as timber management and agriculture. A
permit also may be required for soil disturbance adjacent to (within 75 to 100
feet) a protected resource such as a stream or marsh.
Prior to moving earth or clearing vegetation on a campus property, make sure to
contact Facilities Management to review permitting requirements. Facilities
Management has a map showing identified wetlands for much of the campus and
should be contacted prior to initiating construction activities.
