Stormwater Discharges from Industrial Activities
Important News
Update!
Extension of Proposed 2026 Multi-Sector General Permit for Public Comment Period
EPA is extending the public comment on a proposed 2026 National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Multi-Sector General Permit (MSGP) for stormwater discharges from industrial activity. The comment period now closes on May 19, 2025.
This proposed permit would replace the 2021 MSGP upon finalization. This proposed permit would cover stormwater discharges from industrial facilities in areas where EPA is the NPDES permitting authority.
The proposed permit is open for public comment through May 19, 2025. Comments must be received on or before May 19, 2025.
Comments must be submitted on www.regulations.gov for docket ID EPA-HQ-OW-2024-0481.
The fact sheet, permit, and other associated documents are available in the docket (docket ID EPA-HQ-OW-2024-0481).
These documents may also be viewed on EPA's website at: Stormwater Discharges from Industrial Activities-EPA's Proposed 2026 MSGP.
- Federal Register Notice (pdf) (219.98 KB)
In January 2025, EPA held a webinar to provide an overview of new proposed permit requirements.
Industrial Stormwater Overview
Material handling and storage, equipment maintenance and cleaning, and other activities at industrial facilities are often exposed to the weather. Runoff from rainfall or snowmelt that comes in contact with these activities can pick up pollutants, and transport them directly to a nearby river, lake, or coastal water or indirectly via a storm sewer and degrade water quality.
Federal regulations at 40 CFR 122.26(b)(14)(i)-(xi) require stormwater discharges associated with specific categories of industrial activity to be covered under NPDES permits (unless otherwise excluded). One of the categories—construction sites that disturb five acres or more—is generally permitted separately because of the significant differences between those activities and the others. The 11 categories of regulated industrial activities are:
- Category One (i): Facilities subject to federal stormwater effluent discharge standards at 40 CFR Parts 405-471
- Category Two (ii): Heavy manufacturing (e.g., paper mills, chemical plants, petroleum refineries, steel mills and foundries)
- Category Three (iii): Coal and mineral mining and oil and gas exploration and processing
- Category Four (iv): Hazardous waste treatment, storage, and disposal facilities
- Category Five (v): Landfills, land application sites, and open dumps with industrial wastes
- Category Six (vi): Metal scrapyards, salvage yards, automobile junkyards, and battery reclaimers
- Category Seven (vii): Steam electric power generating plants
- Category Eight (viii): Transportation facilities that have vehicle maintenance, equipment cleaning, or airport deicing operations
- Category Nine (ix): Treatment works treating domestic sewage with a design flow of 1 million gallons a day or more
- Category Ten (x): Construction sites that disturb 5 acres or more (permitted separately)
- Category Eleven (xi): Light manufacturing (e.g., food processing, printing and publishing, electronic and other electrical equipment manufacturing, public warehousing and storage)
Authorized States
EPA has authorized many states to administer the NPDES stormwater permitting program. Most industrial facilities will need to obtain NPDES permit coverage through their state. EPA remains the permitting authority in a few states, most territories, and most Indian country. For industrial facilities located in those areas, permit coverage is available under EPA’s 2021 Multi-Sector General Permit (MSGP).
- Authorization Status for EPA's Construction and Industrial Stormwater Programs – Find out if EPA or your state is the permitting authority for industrial activities.