| #Q001 | administrative | unknown | mandatory | Incorporation into Permits | wastewater | The requirements are incorporated into permits or other control mechanisms for indirect dischargers (refer to Pretreatment Program). | Applicable to indirect dischargers | high |
| #Q002 | administrative | unknown | mandatory | Electroplating Regulation Applicability | wastewater | The regulation applies to processes that apply metallic coatings on surfaces by electrodeposition, and that were in operation before July 15, 1983, at facilities that discharge their wastes to POTWs. This includes both independent (job) platers and captive operations associated with product fabrication and assembly. | Facilities with processes that apply metallic coatings on surfaces by electrodeposition, were in operation before July 15, 1983, and discharge wastes to POTWs | high |
| #Q003 | administrative | unknown | mandatory | Metal Finishing Category Applicability for New Operations | wastewater | Note: Processes that began operating on or after that date, at indirect dischargers, are subject to the Metal Finishing category, 40 CFR Part 433. | Processes that began operating on or after July 15, 1983, at indirect discharging facilities | high |
| #Q004 | administrative | unknown | mandatory | Metal Finishing Category Applicability for Direct Dischargers | wastewater | All direct discharging electroplaters are also covered by the Metal Finishing category. | Direct discharging electroplating facilities | high |
| #Q005 | administrative | unknown | mandatory | Core Operations Coverage | wastewater | The category covers plants which perform one or more of the following six operations: electroplating (exceptions: refer to Related Categories), electroless plating, anodizing, coating (phosphating, chromating, and coloring), chemical etching and milling, printed circuit board manufacture (exceptions: refer to Related Categories) | Plants performing any of the six listed operations | high |
| #Q006 | administrative | unknown | mandatory | Coverage for Associated Operations | 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. | Plant must perform at least one core operation to trigger coverage for associated operations | high |
| #Q007 | prohibition | unknown | mandatory | Exclusion for Specific Indirect Dischargers | 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. | Job shops or independent PCB manufacturers at indirect discharger facilities in operation before July 15, 1983 | high |
| #Q008 | administrative | operational | guidance | Related Category Evaluation | wastewater | In addition to the job shop electroplaters, discharges from the 46 metal finishing operations may be more properly and effectively regulated by the following categories: Aluminum Forming (40 CFR Part 467), Battery Manufacturing (40 CFR Part 461), Coil Coating (40 CFR Part 465), Copper Forming (40 CFR Part 468), Electrical and Electronic Components (40 CFR Part 469), Iron and Steel Manufacturing (40 CFR Part 420), Metal Molding and Casting (Foundries) (40 CFR Part 464), Nonferrous Metals Forming and Metal Powders (40 CFR Part 471), Nonferrous Metals Manufacturing (40 CFR Part 421), Plastics Molding and Forming (40 CFR Part 463), Porcelain Enameling (40 CFR Part 466). | When discharges from the 46 metal finishing operations are present | high |
| #Q009 | administrative | reporting | guidance | Agency Contact for Information | wastewater | For additional information regarding the current rulemaking to regulate the discharge of PFAS from chrome finishing facilities only, please contact Phillip Flanders (flanders.phillip@epa.gov) or 202-566-8323. For all other questions about the Metal Finishing Effluent Guidelines, please contact Ahmar Siddiqui (siddiqui.ahmar@epa.gov) or 202-566-1044. | When seeking additional information or providing feedback | high |
| #Q010 | administrative | unknown | guidance | Secure Website Information Sharing | other | Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. | When interacting with .gov websites | high |
| #Q011 | administrative | reporting | mandatory | NPDES Permit Incorporation | drinking water, wastewater | The regulatory requirements are incorporated into NPDES permits. | | high |
| #Q012 | operational | treatment | mandatory | Subpart E Discharge Allowance Condition | 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, located west of the 98th meridian, and produced water must have a use in agriculture or wildlife propagation. | high |
| #Q013 | operational | treatment | mandatory | Subpart E Water Quality Usage Condition | 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/livestock watering and must be actively used for such purposes during discharge periods. | high |
| #Q014 | prohibition | treatment | mandatory | UOG Pretreatment 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 |
| #Q015 | administrative | reporting | guidance | Agency Contact for Information | other | For additional information on the Oil and Gas Effluent Guidelines, please contact Sean Dempsey (dempsey.sean@epa.gov) or 202-564-5088. | | high |
| #Q016 | operational | operational | mandatory | Excel Macro Requirement for Pollutant Concentration Tool | agricultural water, aquatic life | Note that using the Pollutant Concentration Tool requires the use of macros in Microsoft Excel. | When utilizing the Pollutant Concentration Tool for Agricultural and Wildlife Water Use | high |
| #Q017 | administrative | reporting | mandatory | Regulatory Coverage Verification | wastewater | For precise definitions of coverage, see the applicability sections in 40 CFR Part 435. | When determining applicability of the Oil and Gas Extraction Effluent Guidelines | high |
| #Q018 | administrative | reporting | guidance | Agricultural and Wildlife Water Use Study Contact | agricultural water, aquatic life | For additional information on the study, please contact Sean Dempsey (dempsey.sean@epa.gov) at 202-564-5088. | When seeking information specifically regarding the Study of the Agricultural and Wildlife Water Use Subcategory | high |
| #Q019 | administrative | unknown | mandatory | Industry Subcategory Applicability | wastewater | The Oil and Gas regulations apply to facilities organized into the following five subcategories: Offshore (Subpart A), Onshore (Subpart C), Coastal (Subpart D), Agricultural and Wildlife Water Use (Subpart E), and Stripper Wells (Subpart F). | | high |
| #Q020 | administrative | unknown | mandatory | Applicability Determination | wastewater | Note: the NAICS group listings are provided as a guide and do not define the coverage of the Oil and Gas regulations. For precise definitions of coverage, see the applicability sections in 40 CFR Part 435. | When determining if a facility is subject to the Oil and Gas Extraction Effluent Guidelines | high |
| #Q021 | administrative | unknown | mandatory | Coalbed Methane Exclusion | wastewater | The Oil and Gas regulations apply to conventional and unconventional oil and gas extraction, with the exception of coalbed methane. | Applicable to extraction activities excluding coalbed methane | high |
| #Q022 | administrative | unknown | mandatory | Subpart Specific Wastestream Coverage | wastewater | Wastestreams Covered: Domestic, Sanitary, and Deck drainage are covered for Subparts A & E Only. | Facilities classified under Subpart A (Offshore) or Subpart E (Agricultural and Wildlife Water Use) | high |
| #Q023 | administrative | unknown | mandatory | General Wastestream Coverage | wastewater | The regulations cover wastewater discharges from field exploration, drilling, production, well treatment, and well completion activities. | | high |
| #Q024 | administrative | unknown | mandatory | Produced Water Definition and Inclusion | wastewater | Produced water (The fluid brought up from the hydrocarbon-bearing strata during the extraction of oil and gas, and includes, where present, formation water, injection water, and any chemicals added downhole or during the oil/water separation process) is covered under All Subparts. | All extraction subcategories | high |
| #Q025 | administrative | unknown | mandatory | Produced Sand Definition and Inclusion | wastewater | Produced sand (The slurried particles used in hydraulic fracturing, the accumulated formation sands and scales particles generated during production) is covered under All Subparts. | All extraction subcategories | high |