UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

1 UNITEDSTATESENVIRONMENTALPROTECTIONAGENC YREGION2290 BROADWAYNEWYORK,NY10007-1866 AUG 3 1 2016 CERTIFIEDMAIL- RETURNRECEIPTREQUESTEDA rticleNumber:70160910000044415837Mr. VincentSapienza, EnvironmentalProtection59-17 JunctionBoulevard,13thFloorFlushing,NewY ork11373Re:AdministrativeComplianceOrder NewYorkCityDepartmentof EnvironmentalProtectionDocketNumber:CW ,NY0026158,NY0026182,NY0026191,NYOO6115, NY0026204,NY0026247,NY0026174,NY0026166, NY0026107,NY0027073,NY0026221,NY0026239, NY0026131 The UnitedStatesEnvironmentalProtectionAgenc y("EPA"),Region2, has madea findithe subjectfacilitiesare in violationof the CleanWaterAct,33 1251et seq.,("CA" or"Act")for StatePollutantDischargeEliminationSystem ("SPDES")Permitviolationsas escribedin the findingsof the enclosedAdministrativeComplianceOrder,(" Order")issuedpursut toSection309 of the :Pleaseacknowledgereceiptof this Orderby signingthe acknowledgmentpageand returnacknowledgmentpageby mailin the you haveany questionsregardingthis Order,pleasecontactMr.

2 DoughlasMcKenna,C iefWaterComplianceBranch,at (212)637-4244or at Enforcementand ComplianceAssistanceEnclosurecc.:William Plache,SeniorCounsel,NYCLawDepartment,vi a emailCarrieNoteboom,NYCLawDepartment,via emailJamesRoberts, ,DeputyCommissioner,NYCDEPB ureauof Waterand SewrOperations,via emailInternetAddress(URL) 'PrintedwithVegetable011 BasedInkson RecycledPaper(Minimum50%Postconsumercont entADMINISTRATIVECOMPLIACE ORDERUNITEDSTATESENVIRONMENTALPROTECTION AGENCYREGION2IN THEMATTEROF:CWA-02-2016-3012 The Cityof NewYorkandThe NewYorkCityDepartmentof EnvironmentalProtection( ,Flushing,NY 11373)RESPONDENTP roceedingpursuantto Section309(a)of the CleanWaterAct,33 1319(a)NATUREOF THEACTIONThe RegionalAdministratorof Region2 of the UnitedStatesEnvironmentalProtectionAgenc ("EPA"),actingon behalfof the Administratorof the UnitedStatesEnvironmentalProtectionAgenc y,by the a thorityof theFederalWaterPollutionControlAct (alsoreferredto as the CleanWaterAct,hereinafter"CW"or "Act"),isissuingthis AdministrativeComplianceOrder("Order")pu rsuantto Section309(a)of the Act,3 1319(a), and allegesand ordersas follows:1.)

3 Thisis an administrativeactionbroughtagainstthe Cityof NewYork("NYC")and the NeYorkCityDepartmentof EnvironmentalProtection("NYCDEP")(collec tively"Respondent")pursut to Section309(a)(3)of the Act,33 1319(a)(3).2. Respondentis in violationof Section301(a)of the Act,33 1311(a),by havingfail d to complywiththe operationand maintenancetermsand conditionsofthefourteenpermits("Permits" issuedby theNewYorkStateDepartmentof EnvironmentalConservation("State"or "NYSDEC"),as a horizedby EPAunderSection402(b)of the CWA,33 1342(b),to Respondent'svariouswaterpollion controlplants("WPCP"s)and relatedappurtenances,and by causingunauthorizeddischargesof po lutantstowatersof the ThisadministrativeactionaddressesRespond ent'sfailureto complywiththe operationandaintenancetermsand conditionsas set forthin the 'sfailureto complywiththe tes andconditionsas set forthin the StatePollutantDischargeEliminationSystem Permitshas causewagefromRespondent'sCollectionSyste m,manholes,and otherfacilitiesin and connecRespondent'sCollectionSysteminto watersof the UnitedStates,and publicand privatepr perty,including,but not limitedto, streets,stormdrains,and buildings,includingresidentialdwellingsa nd b ildings,locatedwithinthe Cityof NewYork(hereinafterreferredto as "SewerBackups").)

4 4. people'shomes,publicspacs, and ourwatersis a significantpublichealthissuethat mustbe THEMATTEROF:The Cityof NewYork;and,The NewYorkCityDepartmentof EnvironmentalProtectionCWA-02-2016-3012 Page11135. Untreatedsewagecontainsbacteria,viruses, organicmatter,parasites,toxicsand metals,whichmaycauseillnesswhenhumanscom einto contactwithit and ,includingchildren,the elderlyand thosewithweakenedimmunesystems,can be at higherrisk for illnessfromexposureto Respondentreportedthat it reducedthe numberof ConfirmedSewerBackupsfrom4,567in fiscalyear2012to 2,846in ,Respondentalsoreportedthat in fiscalyear2015it receivedover11,000 SewerBackupcomplaints,whichincludesthe 2,846confirmedSewerBackupsand asignificantnumberof SewerBackupsfor whichRespondenthas not confirmedthe cause("UnconfirmedSewerBackups").

5 7. AlthoughRespondenthas reducedthe numberof SewerBackups,Respondentstill has over50 backupsper100 milesof sanitarysewerper year(Respondenthas a totalof 5,608milesof combinedand sanitarysewer).8. Manyof Respondent'sSewerBackupsreoccurat the samelocationwithinthe ongoingoccurrenceof thousandsof backupsper year,includingrepeatbackupsat the samelocation,indicatescontinuedinadequat eoperationand maintenanceby Respondenthas not addressedthe violationsat a paceand scalenecessaryto protectits ,Respondentcan developcosteffectivesolutionsto remedytheseviolationsand protectits residentsas ThisadministrativeactionrequiresResponde ntto developan Operationand MaintenancePlanto worktowardthe eliminationof SewerBackupscity-wideoverthe theOperationand MaintenancePlanwill resultin a proactiveapproachto the eliminationof Section301(a)of the Act,33 1311(a)

6 ,prohibitsthe dischargeof pollutantsinto navigablewatersofthe UnitedStatesexceptin compliancewiththe termsand conditionsof a NationalPollutantDischargeEliminationSys tem("NPDES")permitissuedpursuantto CWA 402,33 Section502(4)oftheAct,33 1362(4)definesthe term"municipality"as "a city ,town,borough,county,parish,district ,association,or otherpublicbodycreatedby or pursuantto Statelaw and havingjurisdictionoverdisposalof sewage,industrialwastesor otherwastes."13. Section502(5)of the Act,33 1362(5),definesthe term"person"to includea Section502(6)of the CWAdefines"pollutant"to include,interalia, 1362(6).15. Section502(7)of the CW A definesnavigablewatersto be "watersof the UnitedStates,includingtheterritorialseas ."33 1362(7).EPAregulationspromulgatedpursuan tto the CWA definethe term"watersof the UnitedStates"to include,amongotherthings:1) all waterswhichare currentlyused,wereusedin the past,or maybe susceptibleto use in interstateor foreigncommerce,includingall waterswhichare subjectto the ebb and flowof the tide;2) all interstatewaters;3) all otherwaterssuchas intrastatelakes,riversand streams(includingintermittentstreams),th e use,degradation,or destructionof whichwouldaffector couldaffectinterstateor foreigncommerce;4) tributariesof watersof the UnitedStates;and 5)certainwetlands(includingwetlandsadjac entto thesewaters).

7 40 THEMATTEROF:The Cityof NewYork;and,The NewYorkCityDepartmentof EnvironmentalProtectionCWA-02-2016-3012 Page211316. Section502(12)of the CWA defines"dischargeof a pollutant"to mean,amongotherthing, "anyadditionof any pollutantto navigablewatersfromany pointsource."33 1362(12).17. The term"pointsource"is definedin Section502(14)oftheCWA,33 1362(14),a "anydiscernible,confinedand discreteconveyance,includingbut not limitedto any pipe,ditch,hannel, or maybe discharged."18. The term"facility"is definedin the regulationsas "anyNPDES'pointsource'or any (includinglandor appurtenancesthereof)that is subjectto regulationunderthe NPDES proam." Section402(a)of the CWA,33 1342(a),providesthat EPAmayissueNPDES peauthorizethe dischargeof any pollutantto navigablewatersto "persons",but onlyin complancewithSection301 of the CWA,33 1311,and suchtermsand conditionsas EPAdetermins are necessaryto carryout the provisionsof the Section402(b)of the CWA,33 1342(b),providesthat a statemayestablishand ad inisterits ownpermitprogram,and,afterEPA authorizesits program,mayissueSection402 Federalregulationsset fortha list of minimumgeneralconditionsthat all NPDES permitsi ued underStatePollutantDischargeEliminationS ystem("SPDES") C.

8 R. (e)sets forththe GeneralConditionfor "ProperOperationand Maintenance"of facilitiesand s (e) statesthat a "permitteeshallat all timesproperlyoperateand maintainall facilitiand systemsoftreatmentand control(andrelatedappurtenances)whichare installedor usedby the permitte to achievecompliancewiththe conditionsof [the]permit."22. Pursuantto Section309(a)(3) of the Act,33 1319(a)(3)," .. whenever,on the basiof anyinformationavailableto him,the Administratorfindsthat any personis in violationof sectin 1311,1312,1316,1317,1318,1328,or 1345of this title,or is in violationof any permitconditionor li itationimplementingany of suchsectionsin a permitissuedundersection1342ofthistitle by himor by a Stateorin a permitissuedundersection1344of this title by a State,he shallissuean orderrequirinsuchpersontocomplywithsuchs ectionor requirement,or he shallbringa civilactionin accordancewithubsection(b)of this section.

9 "23. Definitionsfor the purposesof this Order:a) CollectionSystem-Respondent'sseparateand combinedsanitaryCollectionSystem(c llectively"CollectionSystem"or "SewerSystem").b) SewerBackups- shallmeana non-permittedreleaseof sewagefromRespondent'sCol ectionSystem,manholes,and otherfacilitiesin and connectedto Respondent' :i) dischargesto watersoftheUnitedStates;and ii) any releaseof sewagefrome CollectionSystemto privateor publicpropertythat doesnot reachwatersof the UnitedStates,incldingbut notlimitedto releasesto streets,stormdrains,residentialdwellings ,and SeweBackuporreleasethat is causedsolelyby conditionsin a PrivateLateralis not a SewerBackupfor purposesof ) ConfirmedSewerBackup-shallmeana SewerBackupthat Respondenthas determinewas causedbyRespondent' THEMATTEROF:The Cityof NewYork;and,The NewYorkCityDepartmentof EnvironmentalProtectionCWA-02-2016-3012 Page3113d) UnconfirmedSewerBackup- shallmeana SewerBackupfor whichRespondenthas not determinedthe causeof and/orfor whichRespondenthas identifiedthat the RespondentCollectionSystemdid notshowsignsof surchargingat the timeof ) PrivateLateral- pipesand any otherappurtenancesnot ownedby Respondentthat are usedto conveywastewaterfroma buildingor buildingsto the Respondent' ) MS4- Respondent'sMunicipalSeparateStormSewerS ystem,as definedin Respondent'sMS4 Permit[SPDESP ermitNo.]

10 NY0287890]effectiveAugust1,2015( ),includingportionsof the MS4that connectto combinedseweroverflowpipesdownstreamof the ) CapacityRelatedSewerBackups- Theseinclude,but are not limitedto, SewerBackupsrelatedtoovertaxedsewers,and include,but are not limitedto, the followingCustomerServiceRequestResolutio nHansenCodes:1. SSTO- TemporarilyOvertaxedSewer(no workrequired);2. SSTORN- TemporarilyOvertaxedSewerdue to rain;3. STOTH- TemporarilyOvertaxedsewerdue to The Cityof NewYorkis a politicalsubdivisionof the Stateof NewYork,dulyformedunderthe lawsof theStateof NewYork,and is a "municipality"and a "person"withinthe meaningof Section502 of the CWA,33 1362(4) and (5).NYCDEPis the agencyof the Citychargedwiththe responsibilityfor theoperationand maintenanceof bothseparatesanitaryand combinedsewersystemsin the city (collectively"Respondent").