Frequently Asked Questions

What is Permit Minder?

Permit Minder is a data transparency tool that makes Pennsylvania discharge monitoring reports (DMRs) searchable and readable. We organize public NPDES eDMR data by facility and parameter and surface exceedances — reported values that fall outside a facility's permit limits — so that residents, researchers, attorneys, and journalists can find what they're looking for without digging through state agency portals.

Where does the data come from?

Permit Minder collects discharge monitoring report (DMR) data from EPA's Integrated Compliance Information System for the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (ICIS-NPDES), published as public bulk downloads through EPA ECHO. These are self-reported monitoring results that NPDES-permitted facilities are required to submit to their permitting authority under the federal Clean Water Act, and that the authority in turn reports to EPA.

Records collected before 12 July 2026 were read directly from Pennsylvania DEP's electronic Discharge Monitoring Report (eDMR) system. Those records are labeled with that source and link back to it. Each row links back to the record for its permit in the system the row was collected from.

What is an “exceedance,” and what is it not?

An exceedanceis a reported monitoring value that falls outside the numeric limit set by a facility's NPDES permit for that parameter, outfall, and monitoring period. It is an arithmetic observation: a number the facility reported, compared against a limit on file.

It is not a legal determination of non-compliance. That is a legal conclusion, and only the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, a court, or another body with enforcement authority can reach it. Whether a particular exceedance amounts to one depends on factors beyond the raw eDMR data — upset and bypass provisions, compliance schedules, administrative orders, consent decrees, and enforcement discretion.

Permit Minder reports exceedances. It does not make that legal determination, and nothing here should be read as one. For the long-form treatment of the distinction, see our Methodology page.

How current is the data?

We refresh our copy of the EPA ICIS-NPDES dataset on a scheduled basis. The most recent refresh date is shown in the footer of every page.

Separately, a reported value reaches EPA only after the facility submits it to its permitting authority and that authority reports it to EPA. Because facilities report on monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or annual cycles, the most recent monitoring period available typically lags real-world discharge activity by 30–90 days, and longer for less frequent cycles. This second lag is a function of how the reports reach EPA, not of our refresh cadence.

Why isn't a specific facility or monitoring period showing up?

A few possibilities:

• The facility may not hold an active NPDES permit in PA DEP's eDMR system.
• The facility may report under a different name or permit number than you expect. Try searching by permit number (PA followed by seven digits).
• The monitoring period may not yet have been submitted by the facility, or not yet published by PA DEP. Recent periods can lag 30–90 days.
• A subset of historical ECHO records ingested before April 2026 was processed with a ceiling-only comparison and undercounted floor-limit exceedances. Recovery status is tracked in our data-quality audit log.

If you believe a record is missing or inaccurate, submit a correction request.

Can I cite Permit Minder in court filings, news articles, or comments to PA DEP?

You can cite Permit Minder as a research aid that surfaces public discharge monitoring data. For citations of the underlying records themselves — particularly in legal filings, regulatory comments, or published reporting — we recommend you also link to or reproduce the corresponding record at its original source so your reader can independently verify the value. Each row includes a link back to the record for its permit in the system the row was collected from.

Permit Minder is not a substitute for direct access to the underlying agency record, and we are not a party to any matter in which our content is cited.

How do I report an error or request a correction?

Email hello@permitminder.com with the subject line “Data Correction Request” and include the permit number, parameter, monitoring period, the value you believe is incorrect, and any supporting documentation (e.g., a copy of the source PA DEP record or the facility's amended DMR).

Our published response timeline:

• Acknowledge: within 3 business days
• Review: within 10 business days
• Correct or flag, if confirmed inaccurate: within 5 business days of confirmation

If our review concludes that the displayed value matches the underlying source record, we will reply with the source link rather than alter the data. If you believe the underlying DMR submission was itself in error, you must first file an amended DMR with the permitting authority; we will update from the corrected source after it appears in the EPA feed. The timing of that appearance is controlled by the permitting authority and EPA, not by Permit Minder. Full process is on the Contact & Data Correction page.

What's the difference between Free and the Pennsylvania Pilot?

Free: full search and exceedance browsing across Pennsylvania NPDES facilities in our dataset; one watchlist; weekly email alerts.

Pennsylvania Pilot ($199/month): everything in Free, plus PDF facility reports, multiple watchlists, and daily alert frequency.

Full pricing details are on the Pricing page.

Do you sell my data or track me?

No. We do not sell user data and do not use third-party advertising trackers. For details on what we collect and why, see our Privacy Policy.

Who runs Permit Minder?

Permit Minder is operated by Permit Minder LLC, a Pennsylvania limited liability company (PA Entity ID 0015365174). It is independently operated and is not affiliated with any government agency, law firm, or regulatory body.

For inquiries: hello@permitminder.com.