(a) Authorized state, tribe, and territory NPDES programs must electronically transfer all NPDES program data that supports electronic reporting (e.g., facility information and permit information such as limits, permitted features, and narrative conditions) to EPA three months prior to the electronic reporting start dates in Table 1 in § 127.16(a) and maintain updates thereafter. These electronic data transfers must be timely, accurate, complete, and consistent.

(b) According to the schedule set forth in § 127.16, the authorized NPDES program must electronically transfer to EPA the minimum set of NPDES data (as specified in appendix A to this part). These electronic data transfers to EPA must be timely, accurate, complete, and consistent.

(c) For the purposes of this part timely, accurate, complete, and consistent mean:

(1) Timely, in that the authorized state, tribe, or territory NPDES program electronically transfers the minimum set of NPDES data to EPA within 40 days of the completed activity or within 40 days of receipt of a report from an NPDES permittee, facility, or entity subject to this part [see § 127.1(a)]. For example, the data regarding a state inspection of an NPDES-regulated entity that is finalized by the state on October 5th must be electronically transferred to EPA no later than November 14th of that same year (e.g., 40 days after October 5th). The start dates for electronic reporting from NPDES permittees, facilities, and entities subject to this part [see § 127.1(a)] are provided in Table 1 in § 127.16(a).

(2) Accurate, in that 95% or more of the minimum set of NPDES data in EPA's national NPDES data system are identical to the actual information on the copy of record (e.g., permit, notice, waiver, certification, report, enforcement order, or other source document);

(3) Complete, in that 95% or more of submissions required for each NPDES data group [see § 127.2(c)] are available in EPA's national NPDES data system; and

(4) Consistent, in that data electronically submitted by states, tribes, and territories to EPA, by direct entry of information, data transfers from one data system to another, or some combination thereof, into EPA's designated national NPDES data system is in compliance with EPA's data standards as set forth in this part and in a form and measurement units which are fully compatible with EPA's national NPDES data system.

(d) An authorized program must consistently maintain the requirements identified in paragraph (a) of this section in order to be the initial recipient, as defined in § 127.2(b). If the authorized program does not maintain these requirements, EPA must become the initial recipient (see § 127.27).