US EPA Construction General Permit & Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan

The Construction General Permit is an EPA instrument that is renewed every five years with occasional modifications during that term. The Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan is a specific document prepared linking the proposed construction project with the permit. The Operator of the construction project that is greater than one acre in size is responsible for instituting the SWPPP so that they are in conformance with the permit. The SWPPP document is required in order for the Operator to submit a Notice of Intent with the EPA. Although a SWPPP can be prepared by a consultant, the Operator must certify the Notice of Intent personally and in doing so is acknowledging that they will operate the construction project within the provisions of the plan. A SWPPP is comprised of eight sections and appendices A through M. The plan starts by identifying the responsible parties and the stormwater team. It continues with an evaluation, assessment, and planning of the proposed construction which includes site plans and clearly defined points of analysis for surface water runoff. The other Federal Requirements must be addressed during the SWPPP and NOI Process. Erosion prevention and sediment control are critical aspects of the plan with fourteen specific items that will be addressed. The fifteenth step of this section specifically addresses design considerations of the project. In addition to sediment and turbidity pollution, the SWPPP must also address other sources of pollution and preventative measure that will be required. The final three sections address inspections, training, and certifications.