Massachusetts Small MS4 General Permit

• 2024 Draft MA MS4 General Permit
• News and Updates
• Administratively Continued MA MS4 General Permit
• History
• Information on Previous Permits, Draft Permits and Modifications
• Tools, Information and Links
• EPA Contacts
• State Contacts

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2024 Draft MA MS4 General Permit

EPA Region 1 provided a notice of availability of a Draft NPDES General Permit for the discharge of stormwater from Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s) that covers "traditional" (i.e., cities and towns) and "non-traditional" (i.e., Federal and state agencies) MS4s in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. When final, the Draft Permit will replace the Final Massachusetts MS4 General Permit issued on April 4, 2016 and modified on December 7, 2020. This Draft Permit carries forward and builds upon the requirements of EPA’s previous Massachusetts small MS4 general permits. The Draft Permit and associated documents are found below. This letter (pdf) (264 KB), dated November 22, 2024, was sent to Massachusetts MS4 Permittees.

A virtual public hearing took place on May 7, 2025. The public comment period for the Draft Permit was extended for an additional 90 days from February 20, 2025 to May 21, 2025. This memo (pdf) (326 KB) authorized the public comment period extension.

• Federal Register Notice
• Draft Massachusetts Small MS4 General Permit (pdf) (505 KB)
• Appendix A – Definitions, Abbreviations, and Acronyms (pdf) (192 KB)
• Appendix B – Standard permit conditions applicable to all authorized discharges(pdf) (174 KB)
• Appendix C – Endangered Species Act Eligibility Guidance (pdf) (227 KB)
• Appendix D – National Historic Preservation Act Eligibility Guidance (pdf) (193 KB)
• Appendix E – Information required for the Notice of Intent (NOI) (pdf) (124 KB)
• Appendix F – Requirements for MA Small MS4s Subject to Approved TMDLs (pdf) (578 KB)
• Appendix F Attachment 1 (pdf) (232 KB)
• Appendix F Attachment 2 (pdf) (199 KB)
• Appendix F Attachment 3 (pdf) (1.7 MB)
• Appendix G – Permit Monitoring Requirements for Discharges into Impaired Waters (pdf) (145 KB)
• Appendix H – Requirements related to discharges to certain water quality limited waterbodies (pdf) (339 KB)
• Appendix I – Required Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination (IDDE) Program Components (pdf) (192 KB)
• Appendix J – New Permittee Requirements to Reduce Pollutants to the Maximum Extent Practicable (pdf) (358 KB)
• Fact Sheet (pdf) (1.1 MB)
• Fact Sheet Attachment 1 (pdf) (598 KB)
• MS4 Area Web Viewer

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News and Updates

The 2016 MA MS4 General Permit has been administratively continued. The Permit will remain in effect for discharges that were authorized prior to July 1, 2023 until such discharges are authorized under a reissued general permit, and individual permit, or other alternative general permit. This letter (pdf) (229 KB) was sent to Massachusetts MS4 Permittees dated May 16, 2022.

EPA finalized the modifications to the 2016 MA MS4 General Permit on December 7, 2020. The Modifications become effective January 6, 2021. See below for Final Permit documents including all modifications. All documents pertaining to this modification can also be found on www.regulations.gov under EPA Docket EPA-R01-OW-2020-0216 .

Massachusetts Stormwater News September 2020: Collaboration is Key: Successful Regulation Updates in the Neponset River Watershed (pdf) (810 KB)

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Administratively Continued MA MS4 General Permit (Effective July 1, 2018 with Modification Effective January 6, 2021)

The 2016 Massachusetts Small MS4 General Permit was signed April 4, 2016 and became effective July 1, 2018. EPA proposed modifications to the 2016 MA MS4 General Permit on April 23, 2020 and finalized those modifications on December 7, 2020. The current permit and appendices, including all modifications, as well as the response to comments on the modifications are available below. For all other documents related to the 2016 Final MA MS4 General Permit see the History section of this webpage. For all Authorization Letters and Annual Reports for this Permit see: https://www.epa.gov/npdes-permits/regulated-ms4-massachusetts-communities.

• Federal Register Notice
• Final 2016 Massachusetts Small MS4 General Permit including 2020 Modifications (pdf) (793 KB)
• Appendix A - Definitions, Abbreviations and Acronyms (pdf) (191 KB)
• Appendix B - Standard Permit Conditions (pdf) (51 KB)
• Appendix C - Endangered Species Act Eligibility Guidance (pdf) (69 KB)
• Appendix D - National Historic Preservation Act Eligibility Guidance (pdf) (67 KB)
• Appendix E - Suggested Format and Required Information for the Notice of Intent (NOI) - Printable (pdf) ( 740 KB)
  • Suggested Template - Appendix E - Notice of Intent (NOI) (pdf) (407 KB)
• Appendix F - Requirements of Approved Total Maximum Daily Loads (pdf) (823 KB)
  • Appendix F Attachment 1 (pdf) (60 KB)
  • Appendix F Attachment 2 (pdf) (191 KB)
  • Appendix F Attachment 3 (pdf) (1.8 MB)
• Appendix G - Impaired Waters Monitoring Parameter Requirements (pdf) (64 KB)
• Appendix H - Requirements Related to Discharges to Certain Water Quality Limited Waterbodies (pdf) (238 KB)
• Response to Comments on 2020 Permit Modifications (pdf) (432 KB)

Introduction to the MA MS4 General Permit

• Six Minimum Control Measures Overview (pdf) (60 KB)
• Permit At-A-Glance Fact Sheet (pdf) (482 KB)

Permit Process

In order for a small MS4 operator to obtain authorization to discharge, it must submit a complete and accurate Notice of Intent (NOI) containing the information in Appendix E of the 2016 general permit. A small MS4 operator must meet the eligibility requirements of the general permit found in Part 1.2 and Part 1.9 prior to submission of its NOI. EPA will post all NOIs for public review and comment for 30 days on the following website: https://www.epa.gov/npdes-permits/regulated-ms4-massachusetts-communities. A small MS4 operator will be authorized to discharge under the permit upon receipt of written notice from EPA following a public notice of the submitted NOI. EPA will authorize the discharge, request additional information, or require the small MS4 to apply for an alternative permit or an individual permit.

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History

On May 1, 2003, EPA Region 1 issued its Final General Permit for Stormwater Discharges From Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (2003 small MS4 permit) that covers "traditional" (i.e., cities and towns) and "non-traditional" (i.e., Federal and state agencies) MS4 Operators located in the states of Massachusetts and New Hampshire. This permit expired on May 1, 2008 but remains in effect for authorized Operators until operators are authorized under the 2016 MS4 general permit.

During 2008 - 2010 EPA issued three separate draft Small MS4 General permits to replace the 2003 Small MS4 permit. One for eligible Operators located in the state of New Hampshire and two separate Massachusetts permits; one for Operators located in the North Coastal watershed and the other for those located in the Interstate, Merrimack and South Coastal watersheds.

The Notice of Availability of the draft General Permit for Discharges from Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4) located in North Coastal Massachusetts was published in the Federal Register on February 4, 2010 (See 75 FR 5788). This draft permit covers the North Coastal region, including but not limited to the watersheds of the Charles River and Neponset River.

The Notice of Availability of the draft General Permit for Discharges from Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems located in the Interstate, Merrimack and South Coastal watersheds in Massachusetts was published in the Federal Register on November 4, 2010 (See 75 FR 67960). EPA held a public hearing on March 9, 2011 and the public comment period for the draft permit ended March 11, 2011. A Federal Register Notice describing the public hearing and the extension of the public comment period was published in the Federal Register on February 15, 2011 (See 76 FR 8734). A transcript (pdf) (142 KB) of the hearing in addition to copies of the written comments are available.

The 2014 Draft Massachusetts Small MS4 General Permit was released for public comment on September 30, 2014 and the comment period ended February 27, 2015. EPA received over 150 unique comment letters and all comments can be downloaded below. The 2016 final Massachusetts Small MS4 General Permit incorporates changes made in response to the comments received.

On April 4, 2016, EPA issued a final NPDES general permit for discharges of stormwater from small MS4s in Massachusetts (the MA MS4 Permit) under CWA section 402(p). 33 U.S.C. § 1342(p). On July 18, 2016, Center for Regulatory Reasonableness (CRR) filed a petition for review of the permit in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Conservation Law Foundation (CLF), Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA), Massachusetts Coalition for Water Resources Stewardship (MCWRS), Franklin Massachusetts, National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB), Home Builders and Remodelers Association of Massachusetts, Inc. (HBRAMA), and the City of Lowell also filed petitions for review of the permit, all of which were consolidated with CRR's petition in the D.C. Circuit. Center for Regulatory Reasonableness, et al. v. EPA, No. 16-1246 (D.C. Cir.) (2016 Massachusetts Small MS4 General Permit consolidated cases). The parties entered into mediation in 2017, and the D.C. Circuit has held the cases in abeyance. On December 27, 2019, EPA published three proposed settlement agreements in the Federal Register for a 30-day public comment period. See "Proposed Settlement Agreements, Clean Water Act Claims," 84 FR 71407 (Dec. 27, 2019). EPA and the petitioners executed the settlement agreements on April 15, 2020. Pursuant to the settlement agreement, on April 23, 2020 EPA published proposed modifications to the MA MS4 permit in the Federal Register (85 FR 22735) for a 45 day public comment period. EPA finalized the modifications to the 2016 MA MS4 Permit on December 7, 2020.

All documents on the draft permits and proposed modifications can be found below.

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Information on Previous Permits, Draft Permits and Modifications

Proposed 2020 Permit Modification

The documents below contain the proposed permit modifications to the 2016 Massachusetts Small MS4 General Permit. The proposed modifications are also found within the permit posted to EPA Docket EPA-R01-OW-2020-0216 on www.regulations.gov. Proposed additions will be in red text and proposed deletions will be in strikeout.

• Federal Register Notice
• Proposed Modifications to the 2016 Massachusetts Small MS4 General Permit (pdf) (6.2 MB)
• Statement of Basis on the Proposed Modifications (pdf) (244 KB)

2016 Final Permit Documents Prior to Modification

The 2016 Massachusetts Small MS4 General Permit was signed April 4, 2016 and became effective July 1, 2018. The documents below represent the Final Permit documents prior to the 2020 modifications to the 2016 MA MS4 Permit.

• Federal Register Notice
• Final MS4 Effective Date Postponement notice (pdf) (1 MB)
• Final 2016 Massachusetts Small MS4 General Permit (pdf) (1.1 MB)
• Appendix A - Definitions, Abbreviations and Acronyms (pdf) (48 KB)
• Appendix B - Standard Permit Conditions (pdf) (51 KB)
• Appendix C - Endangered Species Act Eligibility Guidance (pdf) (69 KB)
• Appendix D - National Historic Preservation Act Eligibility Guidance (pdf) (67 KB)
• Appendix E - Suggested Format and Required Information for the Notice of Intent (NOI) - Printable (pdf) ( 740 KB)
  • Suggested Template - Appendix E - Notice of Intent (NOI) (pdf) (407 KB)
• Appendix F - Requirements of Approved Total Maximum Daily Loads (pdf) (2.3 MB)
• Appendix G - Impaired Waters Monitoring Parameter Requirements (pdf) (64 KB)
• Appendix H - Requirements Related to Discharges to Certain Water Quality Limited Waterbodies (pdf) (630 KB)
• Response to Comments (pdf) (5.2 MB)

2014 Draft Permit Documents

• Federal Register Notice
• Draft Massachusetts Small MS4 General Permit (pdf) (690 KB)
• Appendix A - Definitions, Abbreviations and Acronyms (pdf) (234 KB)
• Appendix B - Standard Permit Conditions (pdf) (152 KB)
• Appendix C - Endangered Species Act Eligibility Guidance (pdf) (262 KB)
• Appendix C - Attachment 1 (pdf) (84 KB)
• Appendix D - National Historic Preservation Act Eligibility Guidance (pdf) (121 KB)
• Appendix E - Suggested Format and Required Information for the Notice of Intent (NOI) - electronic (pdf) (444 KB)
• Appendix E - Suggested Format and Required Information for the Notice of Intent (NOI) - Printable (pdf) (3 MB)
• Appendix F - Requirements of Approved Total Maximum Daily Loads (pdf) (811 KB)
• Appendix F - Attachment 1 (pdf) (148 KB)
• Appendix F - Attachment 2 (pdf) (387 KB)
• Appendix F - Attachment 3 (pdf) (1.6 MB)
• Appendix G - Impaired Waters Monitoring Parameter Requirements (pdf) (261 KB)
• Appendix H - Requirements Related to Discharges to Certain Water Quality Limited Waterbodies (pdf) (177 KB)
• Appendix H - Attachment 1 (pdf) (567 KB)
• Appendix I - EPA New England Bacterial Source Tracking Protocol (pdf) (409 KB)
• Fact Sheet (pdf) (1 MB)
• Fact Sheet Attachment 1 (pdf) (1.9 MB)
• 2014 Draft MA MS4 Submitted Written Comments (pdf) (68.7 MB)
  NOTE: This is a very large PDF. You may want to save it to your PC to view the file (Right-Click > Save Link/Target As).

2003 Final General Permit for Stormwater Discharges from Small MS4s

• Final MA and NH Small MS4 General Permit (pdf) (259 KB)
• 2003 Permit NOIs and Annual Reports

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Tools, Information and Links

Tools and Research for Stormwater in New England

• Stormwater Tools in New England

Stormwater News
Requests to be added to the MA Stormwater News mailing list can be sent to: StormwaterNewsMA@epa.gov

• Massachusetts Stormwater News May 2020: The Results Are In! Highlights from 2019 Annual Reports (pdf) (790 KB)
• Massachusetts Stormwater News September 2019 - Communities in Action: Stormwater Spotlight (pdf) (530 KB)
• Massachusetts Stormwater News August 2019 - Preparing Your Annual Report (pdf) (447 KB)
• Massachusetts Stormwater News April 2019 - Implementing IDDE (pdf) (636 KB)
• Massachusetts Stormwater News February 2019 - Preparing Your SWMP (pdf) (880 KB)
• Massachusetts Stormwater News August 2018 - Preparing Your NOI (pdf) (322 KB)
• Massachusetts Stormwater News February 2018 - Annual Report (2003 Permit) (pdf) (314 KB)
• Massachusetts Stormwater News October 2017 - Understanding IDDE (pdf) (519 KB)
• Massachusetts Stormwater News May 2017 - Setting Your Town Up for Success (pdf) (442 KB)

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EPA Contacts

Danielle Gaito (gaito.danielle@epa.gov), 617-918-1297

Michelle Vuto (vuto.michelle@epa.gov), 617-918-1222

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State Contacts

MassDEP
David Boyer (david.boyer@state.ma.us)