Code of Federal Regulations Title 40. Protection of Environment § 40.122.46 Duration of permits (applicable to State programs, see § 123.25)

(a) NPDES permits shall be effective for a fixed term not to exceed 5 years.

(b) Except as provided in § 122.6, the term of a permit shall not be extended by modification beyond the maximum duration specified in this section.

(c) The Director may issue any permit for a duration that is less than the full allowable term under this section.

(d) A permit may be issued to expire on or after the statutory deadline set forth in section 301(b)(2) (A), (C), and (E), if the permit includes effluent limitations to meet the requirements of section 301(b)(2) (A), (C), (D), (E), and (F), whether or not applicable effluent limitations guidelines have been promulgated or approved.

(e) A determination that a particular discharger falls within a given industrial category for purposes of setting a permit expiration date under paragraph (d) of this section is not conclusive as to the discharger's inclusion in that industrial category for any other purposes, and does not prejudice any rights to challenge or change that inclusion at the time that a permit based on that determination is formulated.