Since the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System
(NPDES) permit requirements were first adopted by EPA back in 1972,
the program has undergone significant changes. Categorical
limitations, storm water permitting, toxics control, and
biotoxicity testing are just a few of the many issues that have
been implemented or significantly changed over the past 40 years.
However, one aspect of the NPDES program has remained remarkably
unchanged over this period. For a significant portion of the
regulated community, permit compliance is still demonstrated in the
same manner as always. The permittee will collect samples of his
discharge, analyze the samples for the pollutants of concern, fill
out a paper copy of his Discharge Monitoring Report (DMR) –
often by hand – and then mail a copy of the report to the
permitting authority. As proposed by EPA July 30, this approach
will go the way of the typewriter. EPA is proposing to require most
of the regulated community to submit
