Stormwater Requirements for Construction Sites
In 1990, the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) required National Pollution Discharge Elimination
System (NPDES) permit coverage for storm water discharges from
construction activities that disturbed five (5) or more acres of
land. In December 2003, this requirement was added to small
construction activities. Small construction activities, as
defined by the EPA, are those "that result in a land disturbance
equal to or greater than 1 acre and less than 5 acres." Also
regulated as small construction activities are those "disturbing
less than 1 acre if they are part of a larger common plan of
development or sale with a planned disturbance equal to or
greater than one acre and less than five acres."
The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) has
been designated the Permitting Authority for the State of
Arizona for issuing Construction General Permits (CGP) under the
Arizona Pollution Discharge Elimination System (AZPDES) program.
The construction site operator(s) must comply with all
requirements outlined in the CGP as prepared by ADEQ. Required
documents for obtaining a CGP permit include a Notice of Intent
(NOI) form, and the development of a Storm Water Pollution
Prevention Plan (SWPPP) detailing the best management practices
(BMPs) to be implemented for site sediment and pollution
control.
The ADEQ has created a
Smart
NOI program which allows for completion and submittal of the
NOI form over the internet. Once a construction project is
complete and the project's disturbed area is stabilized to at
least 70 percent of natural background levels, or responsibility
for the project has been assumed by another operator; a Notice
of Termination (NOT) must be submitted to end participation in
the AZPDES storm water program (also can be done using the Smart
NOI program).
The City of Mesa has developed
information detailing the
stormwater requirements for construction
sites operating in the City of Mesa.