ePermitting Frequently Asked Questions - PUB2455

Why is my user ID not working?

Make sure you are entering the correct user ID, including any special characters. If the account has not been used for 13 months, it is inactive. The user will have to create a new one, which can have the same information as the inactivated user ID.

Why has my facility or application been deleted?

The user does not have the ability to delete a facility created in ePermitting. If the user has already created a facility and application and no action has been conducted in the last six months, the system will remove the facility and application.

I can’t find my facility or application in ePermitting?

If the facility cannot be found in the facility search (assuming the user is logging onto ePermitting for the first time), it either does not exist in the department’s databases or has a different spelling. The facility search text box is an open ended search, which means the user does not have to be specific with the name of their facility and can reduce it down to the fi rst few letters of the facility’s name.

If the user has already created a facility and application and no action has been conducted in the last six months, the system will remove the facility and application.

If you have used the system recently and either the application or the facility still cannot be located, you may have disassociated from a facility and you will need to conduct a facility search again.

If the permit has been issued, the application will no longer be available, but the facility should be there.

If you still have questions, contact the department at epermitting@dnr.mo.gov.

Note: When a facility has created in ePermitting, it becomes a part of the Missouri Clean Water Information System, or MoCWIS. After a facility becomes part of MoCWIS, ePermitting users are only able to edit the facility contact information.

What is a facility?

A facility is the physical location where the conditions of a permit or other compliance must be met. It has an owner and an address, which is the physical location of a permitted activity.

Why do I have to associate myself to a facility?

The system allows only the user associated with a facility to begin the application process or conduct any edits to the facility and application in order to receive the issued permit.

I cannot enter my facility name or other required field into ePermitting.

If your facility contains special characters, there is potential the ePermitting system will not accept a facility name or other required information. The user will be informed ePermitting did not accept the facility name or other required field when it indicates “Facility Name is Invalid.”

Common special characters that should not be used:
# (pound or number)
: (colon)
! (exclamation point)
@ (at sign)
‘ (tick mark)
- (dash)
. (period)
/ (forward slash)
$ (dollar sign)
% (percentage)
* (asterisk)
( (open parenthesis)
) (close parenthesis)
_ (underscore)
+ (plus sign)
? (question mark)
; (semicolon)
, (comma)
~ (tilde)

Who should be added as facility contacts?

Any person associated to a facility that is or can be responsible for answering questions about the permit and application can be a facility contact. Typically, facility contacts are the owner or main facility contact. Other facility contacts can be third party entities associated to the facility, like an engineering firm, that acts on behalf of a facility.

How many people can be associated with a facility?

There is no limit to how many users can be associated to a facility. However, it is very important to limit the number of users for each facility. The permittee of record may not be able to keep track of or approve changes made by the multiple users.

Who can act on behalf of my facility in ePermitting?

In ePermitting any person associated to the facility can act on behalf of the facility.

What information do I need to have available when applying for a land disturbance permit?

When applying for a land disturbance permit, it is recommended the user have information available to ensure a smooth process for obtaining their issued operating permit. At this time, ePermitting is used only to issue land disturbance permits. The information below is specific to land disturbance permits.

The primary requirement of the land disturbance permit is to develop a Stormwater

• Prevention Pollution Plan, or SWPPP. The plan must be developed prior to permit issuance. The plan will be among the first items requested by the department’s field inspector or compliance investigator.
• Map of the project area to include the entire contiguous area where land disturbance is to occur. It is best to have an imagery map of the area so it can be compared to the GIS map the user will draw in the ePermitting system.
• Knowledge of local government jurisdictions erosion control requirements. Some cities, counties and other local jurisdictions have their own requirements to comply with. It is the applicant’s responsibility to be aware of any local authority requirement prior to permit issuance.
• Determination of the project’s location with regard to the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers’ jurisdictional waters. A project located on or near these waters may require a Clean Water Act Section 404 Permit.

What is a polygon?

A polygon is an area drawn using the GIS mapping program in ePermitting. The polygon outlines the project area where land disturbance is to occur.

What does the polygon represent in my permit application in ePermitting?

Polygons in ePermitting’s GIS mapping portion is the entire project size or the actual area to be disturbed. If more than one area of a land disturbance in a project is to be disturbed, then the user will need to draw a polygon that contains all affected areas.

If the project is not continuous, then there may be need for more than one land disturbance permit.

What does ePermitting do with my polygon drawing?

The GIS mapping portion of ePermitting uses the polygon to determine permitted features. A new permitted feature will be added for each 12-digit sub-watershed the user drawn polygon crosses.

The permitted feature is then used to determine all hydrological and locational data. This means all permitted features created in the user drawn polygon will calculate the following:

• Permitted feature number.
• First receiving water body.
• First receiving water body classification.
• First classified water body.
• First classified water body identification number.
• UTMs.
• Legal description.

If a water body is on the 303(d) List for impaired Missouri waters, it will also determine if the first classified stream is a Missouri classified water body or in a different state, the 8-digit watershed, the 12-digit sub-watershed and other GIS information used by the department.

What is a permitted feature?

Permitted features are specific areas of a permitted facility that help identify the effluent type that compliance is measured or monitored (i.e., often where the sample is to be taken).  Permitted features are often referred to as outfall. Outfalls are only one type of permitted feature. Other permitted features include:

• Cooling water intake
• Influent structures
• Internal monitoring points
• Land application sites
• Monitoring wells
• Stormwater outfalls
• Underground injections
• Stormwater reference points (for land disturbance)

How does ePermitting determine the permitted features?

When the user has completed drawing the polygon (i.e., either the actual area to be determined or the total project area), there are numerous actions taking place in the background (background means databases are being updated and fl ow traces are being conducted).

One of the calculations in the background is when the system performs an operation to find the geometric center of the polygon for each 12-digit sub-watershed the polygon crosses. The system will then determine location of the highest flow accumulation within the polygon. From these two factors, the permitted feature is generated.

Note: The biggest polygon portion in a 12-digit sub-watershed receives the primary designation. A new permitted feature will be added for each 12-digit sub-watershed the user drawn polygon crosses.

Can I change or edit a permitted feature?

Hydrological and locational data cannot be modified in the ePermitting permitted features page, but the user can delete a drawn and completed map or change the polygon. This will cause the system to determine new permitted feature information.

Who should certify the application is complete?

Any user associated to a facility or application can certify the application is completed.

Does the same person have to enter the application, certify when it is complete and pay the application fees?

Any user can certify the application on the ePermitting certification page. It is in the best interest of the owner (or entity on the owners behalf) to complete the certification portion of ePermitting because the name of the person who certifies the application will be populated into the ePermitting Certifications and Signature document. Any user associated to a facility can also pay for the application.

How much is the application fee?

The application fee varies based on the permit type. The fee is determined by if it is new application, modification or renewal. For more information about fees, see the fact sheet Fee Information for ePermitting available online.

What payment types/methods are accepted?

Credit cards, debit cards and electronic checks. No other form of payment can be used in the ePermitting system. For more information about fees, see the fact sheet Fee Information for ePermitting available online.

How do I know when my application is complete?

The application is complete when the permit is successfully issued. A permit confirmation page is generated containing the following information:

“The application fee for the (permit name) has been successfully processed: your confirmation number for this payment is (###). The permit has been successfully issued and your permit number is (MO#######). Your final issued permit document will be made available as a PDF.

Note when you return to the Home Page, this permit application request will no longer be in process. Instead, you will have the ability to view and print your final issued permit document from the home page.

As stated in the permit, you are required to post a copy of the public-notification sign at the main entrance to your site. You are also required to sign the ePermitting Certification and Signature Document and send it to the department. "Your permit may not be considered valid after 30 days if the department has not received the sign document.”

If the above text in the quotations is not displayed, then the application is not completed.

When and how will I receive my final permit document?

When the application is completed, the user will be directed to the ePermitting home page. There will be a link near the bottom of the page under the sub-section header “View Final Permit Document.” The link is the operating permit number. Click the link to access the permit.

Who should I contact if I have questions about my final permit document?

If you have more questions, contact the department’s regional offices available online, call 855-789-3889 or 573-526-2082 or email epermitting@dnr.mo.gov.

When will I be contacted by the department for inspections or other follow-up?

The department does not have a formal process to determine when or which land disturbance permitted locations are to be inspected. Staff will contact the permittee prior to conducting an inspection or investigation.

What is the ePermitting Certification and Signature document and why is it required?

The ePermitting Certification and Signature document is a temporary work-around from the EPA’s Cross-Media Electronic Reporting Regulation, or CROMERR. EPA requires a level of security and accountability in addition to existing federal and state rules and regulations. Currently, Missouri’s regulations require a signature be present on all applications. The ePermitting system does not accept electronic signatures and doesn’t have a high level of security. The department requires the document be physically signed and returned within 30 days of receiving the application. Failure to submit the document may lead to the operating permit becoming invalid.

What happens if I fail to return my ePermitting certification and signature document form by the due date?

After 30 days, the department will send letters requesting the document be signed and returned within a new specified time frame.

If the permitted land disturbance activity is inspected during this time frame, the department inspector may bring a copy of the document for the permittee to sign. If additional contacts fail to provide the signed document, the department will take steps to have the permit revoked. After the permit is revoked, the land disturbance activity will be considered a violation of the Missouri Clean Water Law for failure to obtain a required permit.

What do I do if my question is not contained in this FAQ?

Additional fact sheets are available on the department’s ePermitting webpage. You can also try the online glossary found on the ePermitting webpage.

If you have more questions, contact the department’s regional offices available online, call 855-789-3889 or 573-526-2082 or email epermitting@dnr.mo.gov.