Conditional No Exposure Exclusion Permits: What are They & Do I Need One?
All industrial businesses that fall within one of the EPAs 30 pre-defined industrial sectors must have some type of stormwater permit. The good news is that the types of activities and processes conducted on site may qualify you for the Conditional No Exposure Exclusion, referred to as NEX.
We understand that running a business is a balance between day to day operations while also complying with environmental regulations. The reality is that environmental regulations are increasing, and they can also be specific to different types of businesses and their geography. The climate of Florida is such that businesses must account for mass amounts of annual rainfall and, in turn, stormwater runoff from their sites. Because of this, the Environmental Protection Agency NPDES permitting programs are in place to ensure businesses follow respective regulations.
A Conditional No Exposure Exclusion permit is one of 3 industrial stormwater permit types. Between these permit types, the NEX permit offers the lowest level of stormwater program requirements. The general condition that must be met to be approved for the NEX permit, is that the business must establish that no industrial materials or activities are exposed to precipitation or runoff.
To determine if your business qualifies for the NEX permit, here are some questions you can evaluate: Are materials or products during loading, unloading, or transporting exposed to precipitation? Are any materials or products stored outdoors (except final products)? Are residual materials (metal shavings, saw dust, scrap metal) exposed to precipitation? If you answered “no” to all these questions, you may qualify for the NEX permit.
The NEX permit is valid for 5 years and will need to be renewed every 5 years so long as the site conditions remain the same. Still have questions about which permit type is best for you or how to apply? Give KCI a call and we can guide you through the process!
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