Dewatering and Remediation General Permit (DRGP)

The Final National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) General Permit for Dewatering and Remediation Activity Discharges – the DRGP (2022 DRGP) in Massachusetts (MAG910000) and New Hampshire (NHG910000), federal facilities in Vermont (VTG910000), and Indian country lands in Connecticut (CTG910000) and Rhode Island (RIG910000) was signed and became effective on August 2, 2022. Note: The effective date of the Massachusetts DRGP for the State is August 31, 2022.

EPA Region 1's Dewatering and Remediation General Permit (DRGP) combines the Dewatering General Permit (DGP) and Remediation General Permit (RGP).

The DRGP provides NPDES coverage for discharges that are a result of four types of dewatering and remediation activities: 

1. Site remediation 
2. Site dewatering (including construction activity that disturbs <1 acre)
3. Infrastructure dewatering/remediation
4. Material dewatering 

The 2002 DRGP provides coverage for discharges of four types of wastewaters:

1. Groundwater 
2. Stormwater 
3. Potable water 
4. Surface water

The 2022 DRGP establishes electronic Notice of Intent (NOI), Change (CNOI), and Notice of Termination (NOT) requirements through EPA's NPDES e-reporting tool (NeT), effluent limitations and requirements, standard and special conditions, and best management practice (BMP) requirements for sites that discharge 1.0 million gallons per day or less.

ALERT: The electronic NOI, NOC and NOT are available through CDX. If you are unable to complete the required forms electronically, please contact little.shauna@epa.gov to request a waiver to apply.

NOIs are required as follows:

The deadline has passed for Existing discharges covered under the DGP that expired on May 20, 2020 or the RGP that expired on April 8, 2022 to reapply.

Existing discharges covered under the DGP that expired on May 20, 2020 or the RGP that expired on April 8, 2022 that have been administratively continued must reapply no later than 90 days following the DRGP effective date. All DGP and RGP permits will be automatically terminated as of March 31, 2023.

New discharges may apply at any time, but EPA strongly suggests applying 30 days prior to the date discharges are likely to begin.

Emergency discharges may begin at any time, provided the notification requirements are met, including submitting an NOI no more than 30 days following the start of emergency discharges.

Copies of the DRGP and related documents are available through links below.

You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view some of the files on this page. See EPA's PDF page to learn more about PDF, and for a link to the free Acrobat Reader.

• Notice of Final Agency Action (pdf) (159 KB)
• Dewatering and Remediation General Permit (pdf) (585 KB)
  • ATTACHMENTS
    • Attachment 1: Definitions and Acronyms (pdf) (154 KB)
    • Attachment 2: Standard Conditions and Regulatory Definitions (pdf) (299 KB)
    • Attachment 3: Whole Effluent Toxicity Testing Protocols (pdf) (280 KB)
  • APPENDICES
    • Appendix A: Endangered Species Act Eligibility Criteria (pdf) (599 KB)
    • Appendix B: Essential Fish Habitat Designations (pdf) (102 KB)
    • Appendix C: National Historic Preservation Act Review and Requirements (pdf) (155 KB)
    • Appendix D: Environmental Justice Disclosure and Notification Requirements (pdf) (154 KB)
    • Appendix E: Case-by-Case Limitations (TBELs/WQBELs) (pdf) (181 KB)
      • Lookup Table for Massachusetts (xlsx) (33 KB, Updated 10/10/2024)
      • New Hampshire Surface Water Quality Standards (pdf) (369 KB) and Title L, Chapter 485-A
      • Calculator for New Hampshire (xlsx) (17 KB)
    • Appendix F: Calculation Methodology for Case-by-Case WQBELs (pdf) (199 KB)
    • Appendix G: Limitations for Discharges to Impaired Waters (pdf) (134 KB)
    • Appendix H: Notices of Intent (NOI), Change (CNOI), and Termination (NOT)
      • Electronic Notice of Intent
        • Select "Groundwater remediation, dewatering and hydrostatic testing"
        • List of e-NOI questions (up-to-date as of 2/1/2023) (pdf) (878 KB)
      • Electronic Signature Agreement (Send to EPA to request waiver to apply using a paper application) (pdf) (197 KB)
    • Appendix I: Sufficiently Sensitive Test Methods (pdf) (182 KB)
      • Test Method and Minimum Level Lookup (xlsx) (44 KB)
    • Appendix J: Discharge Monitoring Reports (pdf) (185 KB)
• Dewatering and Remediation General Permit Fact Sheet (pdf) (840 KB)

Helpful Information and Links

• EPA Central Data Exchange
• EPA NPDES e-Reporting Tool (NeT Homepage - OECA ICIS)
• Major Storm and Flood Event BMP Resource List
• Expired EPA Region 1 Dewatering General Permit
• Expired Remediation General Permits

EPA Contacts

Water Permits Branch (for permit questions and all notifications)

Shauna Little (little.shauna@epa.gov - preferred); telephone: 617-918-1989

NPDES eReporting Help Desk 
email: NPDESeReporting@epa.gov; telephone: Toll Free: 1-877-227-8965 

CDX Technical Support
email: helpdesk@epacdx.net; telephone: Toll Free 1-188-890-1995; Chat: Chat with the CDX Help Desk 

State Contacts

Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection

Xiaodan Ruan (xiaodan.ruan@mass.gov); telephone: 857-256-4172
Sam Ashbrook (samuel.ashbrook@mass.gov); telephone:  857-278-2231

New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services

Hayley Franz (hayley.franz@des.nh.gov); telephone: 603-271-0671
Teresa Ptak (teresa.ptak@des.nh.gov); telephone: 603-271-1497