Applying for Coverage under the Aquaculture General Permit TXG130000

Requirements for obtaining coverage under General Permit TXG130000 to discharge wastewater from an aquaculture facility or dispose of it through evaporation or irrigation. Links to the permit, relevant forms, and instructions.

Before discharging into or adjacent to water in the state of Texas.

1. Review your facility's compliance history ranking (HTML)

• If your facility has a ranking of “high performer”, “satisfactory performer,” or "inadequate information," continue with step 2.
• If the compliance history ranking is “unsatisfactory performer,” then your facility is not eligible for coverage under a general permit. You must apply for an individual permit instead.

2. Read the Aquaculture General Permit (TXG130000)  to make sure it applies to your situation.

• If the general permit does NOT apply, you may need to apply for an individual permit instead.
• If the general permit does apply, continue with step 3.

3. Determine if a Notice of Intent (NOI) is required to obtain coverage under the general permit.

The following types of operations fall under a Level I. Level I facilities are not required to submit a Notice of Intent (NOI) for authorization under this general permit. Qualifying operations should complete Attachment 1 and use it as necessary to demonstrate authorization under this general permit. Attachment 1 is in the TXG130000. You do not submit Attachment 1 to TCEQ, but rather keep it on site. Level I facilities must comply with all applicable provisions of the general permit.

• retail bait dealers;
• discharges resulting from the production of crawfish in conjunction with rice farming;
• ponds used as pay lakes;
• facilities that exclusively utilize closed ponds;
• public or commercial aquariums;
• aquarium suppliers;
• live fish hauling tanks;
• any aquaculture facility that utilizes cages or other enclosures placed within public waters for the propagation or rearing of aquatic species with a harvest weight equal to or less than 10,000 pounds per year, excluding facilities that meet the criteria of Level V; or
• facilities that temporarily hold and do not feed aquatic species, excluding facilities that meet the criteria of Level IV or Level V.

• Level II, Level III, Level IV, and Level V facilities must submit a completed NOI to TCEQ.

4. How to Apply for coverage for an Aquaculture General Permit.

• Notice of Intent  (NOI)
• Core Data Form (TCEQ-10400)
• Instructions to Fill Core Data Form (TCEQ-10400-inst)
• Application Fee ($100) submitted to Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Financial Administrative Division, Cashier’s Office (MC-214), P.O. Box 13088, Austin, Texas 78711-3088 or by ePay.
• Mail your application to:

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

Applications Review and Processing Team (MC 148)

Water Quality Division

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

P.O. Box 13087

Austin, Texas 78711-3087

5. What happens after you apply for an Aquaculture General Permit.

• After you apply for coverage, TCEQ will review your application and send you one of the following:

A Request for additional information, in which case you will have 30 days to respond;

A Denial Letter informing you that coverage has been denied (usually because the information requested was not provided); or

Your authorization certificate.

• Authorization under the terms and conditions of this general permit begins when you are issued an authorization certificate.

Complying with Your Permit

After obtaining coverage under the Aquaculture General Permit, you must:

• Adhere to the requirements of the Aquaculture General Permit.

• Submit the Discharge Monitoring Reports online or submit an approved Discharge Monitoring Report form (DMR) (EPA Form 3320-1).

• Pay the annual fee within 30 days of receipt of the invoice (There is no annual fee for Level I.).

• Submit a Notice of Termination   (NOT) when all discharges authorized by the permit are eliminated, completed, or if the operator or owner changes.

• This general permit is effective for a term of five years from the effective date of the general permit.

• Within 90 days of permit renewal and/or amendment of this general permit, the permittee’s holding a current general permit are required to submit a new NOI.

Contact us if you have questions.