| #Q001 | administrative | unknown | mandatory | EPA Regulations on Cooling Water Intakes | other | Section 316(b) of the Clean Water Act requires the EPA to issue regulations on the location, design and operation of cooling water intake structures, in order to minimize adverse environmental impacts. | | high |
| #Q002 | administrative | reporting | mandatory | Effluent Guideline Permit Incorporation | wastewater | The Metal Finishing Effluent Guidelines are incorporated into NPDES permits for direct dischargers, and permits or other control mechanisms for indirect dischargers (refer to Pretreatment Program). | Applicable to direct dischargers and indirect dischargers. | high |
| #Q003 | administrative | operational | mandatory | Part 433 Standards Coverage Trigger | wastewater | If a plant performs any of those six operations, then discharges from the 46 operations listed in 40 CFR 433.10(a) are covered by the Part 433 standards. | Applies when a plant performs electroplating, electroless plating, anodizing, coating, chemical etching/milling, or printed circuit board manufacture. | high |
| #Q004 | administrative | operational | mandatory | Electroplating Category Coverage Exclusion | wastewater | Certain electroplating processes are covered by the Electroplating Category, 40 CFR Part 413, rather than Metal Finishing: "job shop" electroplaters (those which in a calendar year do not own more than 50 percent of the material undergoing metal finishing), and independent printed circuit board manufacturers, which are located at indirect discharger facilities, and that were in operation before July 15, 1983. | Applies to job shops and independent PCB manufacturers at indirect dischargers operating before July 15, 1983. | high |
| #Q005 | administrative | operational | mandatory | NPDES Permit and Withdrawal Capacity | other | Regulated facilities have NPDES permits and are designed to withdraw at least 2 million gallons per day from waters of the U.S. | Facilities designed to withdraw at least 2 million gallons per day from waters of the U.S. | high |
| #Q006 | administrative | reporting | mandatory | NPDES Permit Incorporation | wastewater | The regulatory requirements are incorporated into NPDES permits. | Applicable to conventional and unconventional oil and gas extraction, with the exception of coalbed methane. | high |
| #Q007 | operational | treatment | mandatory | Agricultural and Wildlife Water Use Subcategory Discharge Authorization | agricultural water, aquatic life | The regulations at 40 CFR 435 Subpart E allow for discharge of produced water from onshore facilities into navigable waters west of the 98th meridian if the produced water has a use in agriculture or wildlife propagation. | Facilities must be onshore, west of the 98th meridian, and produced water must have a valid agricultural or wildlife use. | high |
| #Q008 | operational | health | mandatory | Produced Water Quality and Actual Use Requirement | agricultural water, aquatic life | The regulations in Subpart E allow for discharge of produced water west of the 98th meridian, if the produced water is of good enough quality to be used for wildlife or livestock watering or other agricultural uses and the produced water is actually put to such use during periods of discharge. | Water must be of sufficient quality for wildlife or livestock and must actually be used for such purposes during discharge. | high |
| #Q009 | prohibition | treatment | mandatory | Unconventional Oil and Gas POTW Discharge Prohibition | wastewater | These standards prohibit discharges of wastewater pollutants from onshore unconventional oil and gas (UOG) extraction facilities to publicly owned treatment works. | Applies to onshore unconventional oil and gas (UOG) extraction facilities. | high |