06- 096 C.M.R. ch. 532, § 5

Current through 2024-46, November 13, 2024

Section 096-532-5 - Sampling and reporting

A.Sampling. The owner, operator, master or other person in charge of a large commercial passenger vessel that discharges graywater or a mixture of graywater and blackwater in the coastal waters of Maine shall:

(1) Not less than 90 days prior to each vessel's initial entry into the coastal waters of Maine during any calendar year, provide to the department certification of participation under a Quality Assurance/Quality Control Plan (QA/QCP) accepted by the department for sampling and analysis of graywater or a mixture of graywater and blackwater for the current operating season;

(2) Not less than 30 days nor more than 120 days prior to the large commercial passenger vessel's initial entry into the coastal waters of Maine during any calendar year, provide a certification to the department that the large commercial passenger vessel's graywater and mixture of graywater and blackwater is permitted and meets the standards specified in Section 3.

(3) Within 30 days of each vessel's initial entry into the coastal waters of Maine during any calendar year, provide to the department a Vessel Specific Sampling Plan (VSSP) for review and acceptance, and undergo sampling and testing for conventional pollutants of all treated graywater or mixture of graywater and blackwater effluents as directed by the department;

(4) While operating in the coastal waters of Maine be subject to unannounced sampling of graywater or mixture of graywater and blackwater discharge effluents for the purpose of testing for a limited suite, as determined by the department, of priority pollutants;

(5) While operating in the coastal waters of Maine be subject to additional random sampling events, in addition to all other required sampling, of some or all graywater or mixture of graywater and blackwater discharge effluents for conventional and/or priority pollutant testing as directed by the department;

(6) Ensure all samples, as required by this section, are collected and tested by a laboratory accepted by the department for the testing of conventional and priority pollutants, as defined by this chapter, and in accordance with the large commercial passenger vessel's department accepted QA/QCP and VSSP; and

(7) Pay all costs associated with development of an acceptable QA/QCP and VSSP, sampling and testing of effluents, reporting of results, and any additional environmental record keeping as required by this chapter, not to include cost of state regulatory oversight.

B.Quality Assurance/Quality Control Plan (QA/QCP). A QA/QCP must, at a minimum include:

(1) Sampling techniques and equipment, sampling preservation methods and holding times, and transportation protocols, including chain of custody;

(2) Laboratory analytical information including methods used, calibration, detection limits, and the laboratory's internal QA/QC procedures;

(3) Quality assurance audits used to determine the effectiveness of the QA program; and

(4) Procedures and deliverables for data validation used to assess data precision and accuracy, the representative nature of the samples drawn, comparability, and completeness of measure parameters.

C.Vessel Specific Sampling Plan (VSSP). A VSSP is a working document used during the sampling events required under this section and must, at a minimum, include:

(1) Vessel name;

(2) Passenger and crew capacity of the vessel;

(3) Daily water use of the vessel;

(4) Holding tank capacities for treated sewage and graywater;

(5) Vessel schematic of discharge ports and corresponding sampling ports;

(6) Description of discharges; and

(7) A table documenting the type of discharge, type of sample drawn (grab or composite), parameters to test for (conventional or priority pollutants), vessel location when sample drawn, date and time of the sampling event.

D. Submission of test results. Test results for conventional pollutants must be submitted within 15 calendar days of the date the sample was collected, and for priority pollutants within 30 calendar days of the date the sample was collected, to the department directly by the laboratory conducting the testing and in accordance with the department accepted QA/QCP.

E.Retention of samples. Samples collected for analysis under this chapter must be held by the laboratory contracted to do the analysis for not less than six months, or as directed by the department.

F.Form of reports. Reports required under this chapter may be written or electronic. If electronic, the reports must be in a format readable by department data systems.

NOTE: Each governmental agency of the State determines whether, and the extent to which, it will send and accept electronic records. The government agency may specify the manner and format in which the electronic records must be created, generated, sent, communicated, received and stored. See 10 MRSA §9418 (in part).

06- 096 C.M.R. ch. 532, § 5