The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is modifying the 2008 storm water construction general permit, extending the permit by one year to June 30, 2011. The permit applies only where EPA is the permitting authority: Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Idaho, Washington, D.C., most territories and most Indian country lands.
The permit regulates the discharge of storm water from construction sites that disturb one acre or more of land and from smaller sites that are part of a larger, common plan of development. The permit requires construction site operators to comply with storm water discharge requirements that are intended to prevent sediment loss, soil erosion and other pollution issues at active construction sites.
The extension of the 2008 construction general permit is needed to allow the agency sufficient time to incorporate the new federal effluent requirements for the construction and development industry, which was announced by EPA on Dec. 1, 2009.
