Issuance of Permits under Groundwater Protection Rules. This section issues the following types of permits: Groundwater Management Permit, Temporary Groundwater Discharge Permit, Groundwater Release Detection Permit.

Groundwater Management Permits are required at locations where the Department's Ambient Groundwater Quality Standards are exceeded. These permits prescribe programs for periodic groundwater quality monitoring and reporting; provide for groundwater remediation either through active measures or natural attenuation; specify performance standards for remedies, and describe procedures for performing site investigations and implementing remedial action plans. Standards for groundwater quality are the Department's Ambient Groundwater Quality Criteria, listed in the Department's Contaminated Site Remediation, OR 600. HWRB Program contact: Karlee Kenison , 271-6542; ORCB Program contact: Mark Ledgard. 271-7376. Groundwater Management Permit Application.

Temporary Groundwater Discharge Permits are issued for up to four months in order to facilitate short-term site remediations by allowing for the discharge of non-domestic wastewater to the ground or to groundwater as long as the water quality of the discharge meets the Department's Ambient Groundwater Quality Standards. Program contact: Mitchell Locker 271-2858. Temporary Groundwater Discharge Permit Application

Groundwater Release Detection Permits are required at hazardous waste disposal facilities, lined solid waste disposal facilities, lined wastewater disposal facilities and facilities that process soils contaminated with petroleum products. Other types of facilities may be required to obtain this type of permit if they are located within a class GAA wellhead protection area. Groundwater release detection permits are issued as a preventative measure and are not required at sites where a Groundwater Management Permit is in effect. Program contact: Peter Beblowski, 271-2999. Groundwater Release Detection Permit Application.

Emergency Discharge to Surface Water DES established a Temporary Surface Water Permit (TSWP) program for emergency discharges only (not scheduled). The intent of the TSWP procedure is to authorize discharge of treated groundwater to surface waters for a short period of time in conjunction with a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit Exclusion issued by EPA. DES contact for TSWP: Slava Karnauk, 603-271-7374, skarnauk@des.state.nh.us. EPA contact for NPDES Exclusions: Mike O'Brien, 617-918-1649, obrien.mike@epa.gov. To utilize this process, the facility must obtain a NPDES Permit Exclusion from EPA and then a TSWP from DES. The contaminated groundwater must be treated, and sampling of the influent and effluent will be required.

Groundwater Discharge Permits are required for a variety of land use activities including:

1. operating an unlined domestic wastewater lagoon;

2. operating an unlined septage lagoon;

3. land application of domestic wastewater;

4. land application of septage derived from domestic wastewater or registered nondomestic wastewater;

5. discharge to the ground of treated nondomestic wastewater containing regulated contaminants;

6. discharge of domestic wastewater from a subsurface disposal system when the system has a design flow of at least 20,000 gallons per day; and

7. discharge of domestic wastewater from subsurface disposal systems with aggregate design flows of a least 1,000 gallons per day for a single lot.

For a complete description of Groundwater Discharge Permit requirements and exemptions, see En-Ws 1500 for the Department's Groundwater Protection Rules. Program contact: Mitchell Locker (603 271-2858).