November ended with significant rain fall events. Flooded sites can create expensive consequences.California’s State Water Resources Control Board has issued new regulations. Effective July 1, 2010, all dischargers are required to comply with Construction General Permit Order 2009-0009-DWQ (the Order) adopted on September 2, 2009.
This means that dischargers whose projects disturb one or more acres of soil or whose projects disturb less than one acre but are part of a larger common plan of development that in total disturbs one or more acres, are required to obtain coverage under the Construction General Permit.
SIGNIFICANT CHANGES
The following are some of the more significant changes in the Order:
Minimum Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) Requirements: Previous Best Management Practices (BMPs) that were required as elements of the SWPPP or suggested by guidance are now imposed as requirements.
Rain Event Action Plan: This Order requires certain sites (Risk Level 2 and 3 dischargers) to develop and implement a Rain Event Action Plan (REAP) that must be designed to protect all exposed portions of the site within 48 hours prior to any likely precipitation event.
Annual Report: The Order requires all projects that are enrolled for more than one continuous three-month period to submit information and annually certify that their site is in compliance with these requirements. The primary purpose of this requirement is to provide information needed for overall program evaluation and pubic information.
Certification/Training Requirements for Key Project Personnel: The Order requires that key personnel (e.g., SWPPP preparers, inspectors, etc.) have specific training or certifications to ensure their level of knowledge and skills are adequate to ensure their ability to design and evaluate project specifications that will comply with General Permit requirements.
To avoid fines during this year’s El Niño, make sure you’re in compliance with California’s latest storm water regulations.
For more information on storm water regulations and compliance issues, email us at info@e2env.com or call (949) 453-8085.
Eight hundred and fifty former residents of Camp Lejeune are suing the United States Marine Corp for $4 billion in damages for exposure to toxic tap water, which some claim is responsible for numerous cases of cancer and birth defects. As many as 75,000 Marines and their families, almost 1 million individuals, living at Camp Lejeune, a Marine base in North Carolina base between 1957 and 1987, received drinking water contaminated with several toxic chemicals, including benzene, tetrachloroethylene (PCE), and trichloroethylene (TCE). The former residents believe the Marines knowingly failed to report the hazardous levels of benzene in the tap water.
In February 2010, a final rule to help reduce water pollution from construction sites will go into effect. This is the first time that EPA has imposed national monitoring requirements and enforceable numeric limitations on construction site stormwater discharges. The agency believes this rule, which will be phased in over four years, will significantly improve the quality of water nationwide.
The USEPA is accepting grant applications for a total of $1 million in funding for projects aimed at addressing environmental and public health issues in communities, encouraging applications that address the disproportionate impacts of climate change in communities by emphasizing climate equity, energy efficiency, renewable energy, local green economy, and green jobs capacity building. USEPA expects to award approximately 40 grants of up to $25,000 each and will accept applications until January 8, 2010. Local governments and non-profit organizations are eligible to apply.
