1. (1) The Director of the Department of Environmental Quality shall issue a general permit for the discharge of geothermal spring water to surface water. The general permit shall cover any activity with the following characteristics:

   1. (a) The chemical nature of the water is not changed;
   2. (b) The temperature of the water remains unchanged or is reduced; and
   3. (c) The surface water into which the geothermal spring water is discharged is the naturally occurring junction of the geothermal spring water and surface water.
2. (2) Nothing in subsection (1) of this section shall be construed to preclude the director from issuing a general permit for any other activity involving the discharge of geothermal spring water.
3. (3) As used in this section, “geothermal spring water” means water that emerges naturally from the earth as a result of gravity flow or artesian pressure and that is capable of being used for heating as a result of the naturally occurring thermal characteristics of the water.

[1997 c.547 §2]