Construction stormwater permit overview

Construction stormwater permit overview

A technical summary of Minnesota’s NPDES permit

This fact sheet provides summary information. Please review the NPDES/SDS Construction Stormwater General Permit for more detailed information. Ecological harm

By following the terms and conditions of the construction stormwater permit, Minnesota’s construction workers reduce the environmental pressure of earth-moving activities on Minnesota’s water.

In days or weeks, land disturbing activities at construction sites has the potential to contribute more sediment to streams than is deposited naturally over several decades. The environmental damage is severe and often permanent. Polluted runoff clouds streams, harming or killing fish and other aquatic organisms. Sediment deposits accelerate filling-of lakes. Sediment also carries nutrients that cause excessive plant growth and algae that contribute to the eutrophication process. Increased volume of runoff caused by the creation of new impervious surfaces can cause severe erosion in receiving waters and may change the contours of a river and wipe out valuable habitats like gravel stream beds which are necessary for fish spawning. Other pollutants at construction sites such as concrete wash water, petroleum products, chemicals, construction materials and sewage may pose a risk to both surface and groundwater and need to be properly handled and stored.

Regulatory mandate

Minnesota’s construction stormwater permit is an extension of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Stormwater Program, which is part of the Federal Clean Water Act.

The NPDES Stormwater Program is a comprehensive national program for addressing polluted runoff. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is ultimately responsible for the quality of the nation’s water, but in Minnesota, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) administers this federal program as well as the related State Disposal System (SDS) permit program. The states combined NPDES/SDS construction stormwater permit fulfills federal and state requirements by requiring permittees to control runoff.

Enforcement

The federal government requires NPDES permit coverage of construction sites that disturb one or more acres. Sites that lack permit coverage and/or fail to meet permit terms and conditions will be subject to MPCA enforcement action, civil penalties and/or criminal charges. Owners and operators of construction activity that fail to obtain permit coverage are open to third-party civil suits.

Application process

Prior to submitting an application, regulated parties must develop a complete and accurate Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) in accordance with the stormwater discharge design requirements in Part III and Part IV of the permit. The construction stormwater permit application must be submitted using the MPCA Online Services system along with electronic payment of the $400 application fee.

The application fee can be submitted online via credit card or e-check. Instructions for completing the application process can be found at the Steps to Construction site. Permit coverage is effective seven calendar days after submitting a complete application. An authorized party, such as a consultant or legal counsel, may complete the application for the project owner. Both the owner and the contractor must be listed on the application.

If the applicant is unable to apply online due to lack of internet access or other reasons, the MPCA can be contacted at 651-757-2119 or 800-657-3804 for assistance to receive a waiver and instructions for obtaining a paper application form.

Projects that are not eligible for permit issuance within seven days for sites disturbing 50 acres or more where stormwater will discharge within a mile to special waters or to impaired waters, the application and SWPPP must be submitted for review at least 30 days prior to construction.

Special waters are described in Appendix A part B of the permit and are Outstanding Resource Value Waters (ORVW), including calcareous fens, trout lakes and trout streams. The permit also describes impaired waters as those waters identified as impaired under section 303 (d) of the Federal Clean Water Act and are impaired for at least one of four construction related impairments of phosphorus (nutrient eutrophication biological indicators), turbidity, dissolved oxygen or aquatic biota (fish bioassessment, aquatic plant bioassessment and aquatic macroinvertebrate bioassessment).

The MPCA has an online map tool that can be used to determine if the site is within one mile of a special or impaired water. The distance is measured using a straight line (aerial radius measurement) not the flow distance from the closest project discharge point to the nearest edge of the water body.

Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan requirements

Your SWPPP must meet all terms and conditions of Part III and IV in the permit including a description of all erosion prevention and sediment control Best Management Practices (BMPs) to be utilized on the site to control sediment and other pollutant discharges from the site. The SWPPP must be prepared by an individual who is knowledgeable and trained in the preparation of SWPPPs. The SWPPP must be a combination of narrative, plan sheets and standard details that include the following components:

• A description of the construction activity and potential for sediment and other potential pollutant discharges from the site.
• The identity of an individual(s) (once known) to oversee BMP implementation, installation and conduct inspection and maintenance activities.
• A chain of responsibility between the owner and contractor and all operators at the site to ensure the SWPPP is implemented.
• Training documentation for all individuals required to be trained in associated duties in relation to the SWPPP.
• Stormwater design specifications and calculations for stormwater management systems, including the number of acres of existing and new impervious surfaces.
• Timing of installation for all erosion prevention and sediment control BMPs and permanent stormwater management systems.
• Location and type of all BMPs to be utilized at the site along with procedures to establish additional BMPs as necessary.
• Estimated quantities of all BMPs to be used for the life of the project.
• A site map showing both the existing and final grades, including direction of flow and pre and post drainage area divides. The site map must also include locations of steep slopes, impervious surfaces, soil types, and potential pollutant-generating activities (such as building products, pesticides, herbicides, fertilizer, treatment chemicals, hazardous materials, solid waste, portable toilets, etc.).
• Areas not to be disturbed on the site, including the location of any required buffer zones.
• Locations of areas to be phased to minimize duration of exposed soils.
• Maps showing the locations of all surface waters, including wetlands, stormwater ponds or basins within one mile of the site. The site map must also show areas of the site that will drain to a public water the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has promulgated “work in water restrictions” for fish spawning timeframes.
• A determination whether surface waters within one mile of the site are special or impaired for one of the construction-related parameters.
• Final stabilization methods for exposed soils.
• The following factors must be accounted for in design of BMPs:
• Amount, frequency, intensity and duration of precipitation.
• Stormwater runoff and run-on, including expected flow from impervious surfaces, slopes and site drainage features.
• How flow rate and volume of channelized flow will be managed to minimize erosion at outlets and downstream erosion.
• Range of soil particles expected at the site.
• Methods to minimize soil compaction and preserve top soil at the site.
• A maintenance plan for permanent stormwater treatment systems, including who will maintain the system.
• Plans for proper use of sediment treatment chemicals (polymers, flocculants, etc.) in accordance with Part IV.C.10 of the permit.
• Documentation why certain design requirements or SWPPP components are not feasible (as allowed in the permit) and the method that will be substituted to comply with permit.
• Stormwater pollution mitigation measures to be utilized as a result of an environmental review.
• Additional or different measures needed at the site to address karst or drinking water supply management areas.
• Identify temporary sediment basins, if more than ten acres are disturbed and drain to a single point of discharge.
• Identify dewatering and basin draining practices.
• Identify inspection and maintenance practices.
• Identify pollution prevention management measures.
• Include a strategy for retaining records.
• Describe the timing of BMP installation.
• Location and type of temporary and permanent BMPs.
• Include standard plates and specifications of BMPs.
• Additional requirements if the receiving water is impaired for phosphorous, turbidity, dissolved oxygen or biotic impairment, or measures needed to comply with any Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) that has been established.

Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan amendments

Amendments to your SWPPP are required when:

• There is a change in design, construction, operation, maintenance, weather or seasonal conditions that effect potential discharge of pollutants.
• Inspections indicate BMP ineffectiveness.
• General objectives for minimizing pollutant discharges or terms and conditions of permit are not being met.