Stormwater - Construction Activities Overview
Stormwater runoff from construction activities can have a significant impact on water quantity. As stormwater flows over a construction site, it can pick up, pollutants, like sediment, debris, and chemicals and transport these to a nearby storm sewer system or directly to a river, lake, or coastal waterways. Polluted stormwater runoff can harm or kill fish and other wildlife. Suspended sediment in stormwater can destroy aquatic habitats, and high volumes of runoff can cause stream bank erosion. Additionally, larger debris can clog, waterways, and potentially reach the ocean where it can impact marine habitats., Looking for Permit Coverage?, If you are planning any construction/land-disturbing activity (including clearing, grading and excavating) within the State of South Carolina, you must first apply for coverage under the State's, NPDES Construction General Permit, (CGP), . All requirements for permit coverage are based on the amount of disturbance and location. Please see the links below for further information., Are you in a Coastal County?, If your construction site is located within one of the eight coastal counties then your project may have different requirements., Where to Apply, Information on where to apply for Stormwater NPDES coverage based on the counties., Application & Forms, Download the Notice of Intent Application and other Forms to obtain permit coverage., Technical Documents, Templates, checklists, and other documents to help prepare your Stormwater Management Plan, What are the eight coastal counties?, The eight coastal counties are Charleston, Berkeley, Dorchester, Georgetown, Horry, Jasper, Beaufort, and Colleton Counties. Please see the following for permitting processing flow charts for Coastal Zone Projects: Projects Located Outside MS4 Jurisdiction Projects Located Within MS4 Jurisdiction, Do I need a Coastal Zone Consistency (CZC) determination if my project is in a Coastal County?, Yes, Coastal Zone Consistency determination from SCDES's Bureau of Coastal Management (SCDES BCM) is still required and a Coastal Zone Consistency submittal package must be submitted with the request for permit coverage to the Bureau of Water in its coastal office. Bureau of Water staff will provide the CZC submittal package to SCDES BCM for review upon receipt. Contact SCDES BCM regarding…, What needs to be submitted to obtain permit coverage for my project?, Items required to be submitted to obtain coverage under the CGP are determined by a number of conditions (whether or not your project is located within a coastal county, the amount of disturbance, part of an LCP, and if it is within 1/2 mile of a RWB)., Coastal Submittal Requirements, Non-Coastal Submittal Requirements, More than 2 Acres of Disturbance More than 2 Acres of Disturbance 1 - 2 Acres of Disturbance (Non-LCP*, Not Within 1/2 Mile of CRW**) 1 - 2 Acres of Disturbance (Non-LCP*) 1.0 - 2.0 Acres of Disturbance (Within 1/2 Mile of CRW**) Less than 1 Acre (Non-LCP*) Less than 1 Acre (Non-LCP*, Not Within 1/2 Mile of CRW**) Auto Coverage, Less than 1 Acre (Non-LCP*, Within 1/2 Mile of CRW**) *LCP -…, Why does SCDES need to issue permit coverage for my construction project?, SCDES is the permitting authority for the NPDES Stormwater Program as approved by the EPA, which itself is tasked with running this program Nationwide as mandated in the Clean Water Act. As the permitting authority, SCDES must regulate stormwater runoff from construction sites to improve water quality. Each project owner must develop and implement a site-specific stormwater management plan to…Stormwater Permitting Fees
Submitting the correct stormwater review fees is essential to ensure timely reviews by S.C. DHEC's staff, for the official review clock is not started until all fees have been paid. On the occasion that the proper fees have not been submitted or if the submitted payment cannot be processed, S.C. DHEC will notify the Project Owner/Operator in an effort to correct the error as fast as possible., Industrial Activities, For all new Industrial Notices of Intents, an administrative fee of $75.00 is required to process the application. An annual fee of $75.00 to keep coverage under the Industrial Permit will be billed to each permittee., Construction Activities Fees, Construction activities requiring coverage under S.C. DHEC's General Permit must submit a $125 standard review fee plus an additional $10 per 1/10 of an acre up to a maximum of $2000. (The overall maximum fee for a standard construction review is $2125.), Industrial - No Exposure Fee, Industrial Facilities applying for the no-exposure certification must include a $350.00 fee with the application. Stormwater Construction fees are often submitted incorrectly due to the fluctuating fee associated with the amount of disturbed acreage. For this reason, a few reminders are listed below to help aid in the determination of the overall review fee. Determine the, Disturbed Area, for the proposed site to the nearest tenth. For each tenth of an acre add an additional $10 fee to the base review fee of $125 dollars. The, maximum possible review fee, for any standard construction stormwater project is $2125. For those interested in pursuing the option of expedited reviews for Construction Stormwater Projects please see the Expedited Review Page for more information on applicable fees and additional requirements.Educational Resources
Despite all the regulatory requirements, general permit coverage reviews/approvals, site-specific SWPPPs and mandated site inspections; contaminated stormwater runoff still reaches and pollutes a high percentage of waterways located within South Carolina. The majority of this results from everyday activities in and around urban communities or from the improper/lack of maintenance of approved…, Educational Resources, have been provided below to help educate and inform residents, developers, and designers of the sources of contaminated stormwater originating beyond construction and industrial activities, how they impact downstream locations, and how they can be prevented., Green Initiatives, cover many innovative ideas promoting the environment including many stormwater BMPs that prevent the discharge of stormwater from residential yards and surrounding communities. These devices can generally be implemented post-construction and are usually current landowners or community associations., Educational Resources, also provides many classroom activities that promote the importance of proper stormwater management. These activities range from in-class worksheets to guest presentations conducted by a current S.C. DHEC employee., "Stormwater management is not solely the responsibility of engineers, developers, or regulators; its responsibility rests upon each and every individual who resides, labors, and interacts within the state of South Carolina. It is time to learn how to do your part in the effort to reestablish the pristine waterways that once flourished in South Carolina.", Public Outreach, Managing Stormwater In Your Community A guide for building an effective post-construction program. Developed by the Center for Watershed Protection. Homeowner's Guide to Stormwater Management Learn what you can do on your property and in your community to improve the health of your watershed. Developed by the Philadelphia Water Department. After The Storm A publication that provides a broad…, Green Initiatives, Raingarden Handbook An informative rain garden handbook that covers the basic principles and benefits of these "green" practices. Developed by Washington State University. Grey To Green An informative document developed by the City of Portland that addresses various stormwater practices that involve the implementation of green infrastructure within urbanized areas. Raingardern Brochure A…, In The Classroom, Stormwater Crossword A crossword puzzle promoting common stormwater and stormwater management terms. Stormwater Activity Book An activity booklet developed by Utah State University directed to elementary students through stormwater word searches and other challenging puzzles. Water Cycle Worksheet A worksheet that challenges students on their knowledge of the natural water cycle. Stormwater…Preventing Stormwater Pollution
Pollution Prevention , begins with properly identifying stormwater pollution and how to prevent its release. Homeowners and community organizations can properly excel at preventing stormwater runoff pollution through lawn maintenance, pet waste removal and even maintaining existing stormwater BMPs. The majority of Urbanized Areas are provided with storm sewer infrastructure that collects stormwater runoff as a fast and…, Silviculture , entails the re-establishment of forest areas in or around urbanized areas to help aid in the absorption of excess water and nutrients before being released into storm sewer systems. Many aspects of Silviculture work toward establishing vegetative growth to a past or beneficial condition usually in the way directed by the surrounding community. Various , Pollution Prevention , techniques have been provided as additional resources below, in an attempt to aid in the establishment of proper stormwater management within all communities of South Carolina., "Stormwater management is not solely the responsibility of engineers, developers, or regulators; its responsibility rests upon each and every individual who resides, labors, and interacts within the state of South Carolina. It is time to learn how to do your part in the effort to reestablish the pristine waterways that once flourished in South Carolina."The EPA's Role in Stormwater Management
The Clean Water Act tasked the, EPA, with the role of developing a National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program that would help cease the degradation of all natural waterways and begin a movement that would eventually restore these waterways to their once pristine glories. This permit program was initialized soon after the issuance of the Clean Water Act in 1972. At first, the, EPA, focused on Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTWs) and other point source discharges requiring these sources of pollution to obtain coverage in order to lawfully discharge into waterways. Then in 1987, the Water Quality Act was enacted and the, EPA, had to expand its NPDES permit program to include non-point source discharges, mainly to address the growing concern of the ill effects stormwater was imposing upon receiving waters. It was not until November 16, 1990, that the first phase of the revised Permit Program, also known as the NPDES Stormwater Program, went into effect. Under this phase, non-point sources of pollution including…, The Clean Water Act, Learn more about the issuance of this 1972 Act and how it affects the stormwater community., State Regulations, Learn more about the various State Regulations concerning Stormwater Management, EPA Stormwater, Visit the EPA's NPDES Stormwater Program's website . The second phase of the NPDES Stormwater Program went into effect in early 2003 and enforced more stringent requirements for the discharge of non-point sources that were originally covered in the first phase. New ly, the, EPA's, mission within the stormwater community remains to be the implementation, enforcement, and improvement of the NPDES permit program. The, EPA, is still the permitting authority of the program in some states, territories, and on most land in Indian County, but many states have received authorization to implement NPDES permitting program under the stipulation that the state implements the program to a minimum of all, EPA-, mandated rules and regulations. South Carolina is one of the states that have been granted permitting authority and the program is currently tasked to South Carolina's Department of Environmental Services (SCDES). Please visit the EPA Stormwater Website for more information.Federal Regulations
There are multiple, Federal Regulations, that play a role on how to properly manage stormwater runoff, some more so than others. The first of these regulations was issued in 1968 as the National Flood Insurance Program. This was the first federal law related to stormwater management and required communities to meet specific policies and procedures while building in floodplains as an attempt to alleviate flooding that was being reported…, The Clean Water Act, ) was passed. Initially, this Act applied to just municipal waste and industrial wastewater and prohibited these sources of pollution from discharging into waterways unless NPDES Coverage authorization was granted. Initially, Stormwater Runoff was not seen as a significant contributor to the quality of the nation's waterways and was not addressed until later revisions of the act. Despite the lack…, The Clean Water Act, Learn more about how the CWA affected how to address stormwater management drain, Common Pollutants, Information on various pollutants that can be found in stormwater runoff. , Waters of the State, The quality of lakes, rivers, and wetland areas is essential for supporting human lifestyles and wildlife. This program, the, Nationwide Urban Runoff Program, , was implemented from 1978 through 1982 and eventually led to the realization that stormwater runoff was a serious source of the pollution found in the nation's waterways. The results of the Urban Runoff Program led to the enactment of the, Water Quality Act, (WQA) of 1987. The WQA called for a phased approach to control the pollutants in stormwater runoff, which was to be implemented through the NPDES Program managed by the EPA. All stormwater runoff associated with land disturbing activities including Industrial and Construction activities, as well as municipal systems (MS4s), became required to obtain authorization before allowing runoff to…, Endangered Species Act, May affect stormwater management designs when dealing with downstream habitats of endangered species or habitats of endangered species currently residing onsite., National Environmental Policy Act, If a new source of discharge is established, environmental impact reviews must be conducted and approved before coverage is granted under the NPDES Program., National Historic Preservation Act, May affect stormwater management design when historical places are located onsite., Coastal Zone Management Act, Prohibits the issuance of NPDES permits for activities affecting land or water use in coastal zones unless the permit applicant certifies that the proposed activity complies with the State CZM Program.Greater than 2 Acres of Land Disturbance
South Carolina's NPDES Stormwater Program requires that anyone engaged in clearing, grading, and/or excavating activities that disturb more than 1 acre, including smaller sites in a Larger Common Plan of development or sale whose combined total disturbed area is more than 1 acre, to submit a Notice of Intent for permit coverage approval prior to beginning any land disturbing activities. In…, Construction Activities, Information and Requirements on land-disturbing activities for construction activities., Less Than 1 Acre, Information and Requirements on land-disturbing activities that disturb less than 1 Acre., Between 1-2 Acres, Information and Requirements on land-disturbing activities that disturb 1.0 to 2.0 Acres of land. For those looking for additional information or help with acquiring NPDES Stormwater Coverage under the Construction General Permit, SCDES's, Stormwater Staff, is always available to answer questions about the implementation and the design of proper stormwater management plans. SCDES's website also provides numerous, design aids, ,, technical documents,, and, stormwater-associated links, that may assist in the development of a site-specific C-SWPPP., Coastal Counties, Requirements for projects located within the eight coastal counties are the same as the requirements for projects located outside of the coastal zone except for the inclusion of a Coastal Zone Consistency determination from, SCDES's Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management (DES-OCRM), . Heightened stormwater design requirements may also apply. A Coastal Zone Consistency submittal package must be submitted with requests for permit coverage for review by SCDES. Contact SCDES regarding Coastal Zone Consistency submittal requirements.Notice of Termination
S.C. DHEC requires that a Notice of Termination to be submitted on all active coverage approvals under the NPDES permitting program when the site reaches the final stabilization status when the associated property is sold when coverage under an alternative NPDES permit has been obtained, or (in the case of coverage under the Industrial General Permit) when activities are no longer present that…, Extensions, Information on how to apply for coverage extension and when an extension should be requested., Modifications, Information on when, what, and how to appropriately modify an approved stormwater management plan., Final Stabilization, Information on how to reach final stabilization, when it needs to be achieved, and what needs to be done after stabilization is complete., Please See the As-Built Section for Specific Requirements.,1 to 2 Acres of Land Disturbance
South Carolina's NPDES Stormwater Program requires that anyone engaged in clearing, grading, and/or excavating activities that disturb between 1.0 acres and 2.0 acres, including smaller sites in a, Larger Common Plan, of development or sale, to obtain coverage under the state's, Construction General Permit, (CGP) prior to beginning any land disturbing activities. All construction activities disturbing 1 to 2 acres shall submit a simplified stormwater management and sediment control plan meeting the requirements of R.72-300. Because the project is greater than one acre, a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) is required. This SWPPP is a simplified version based on the 1-2 Acre SWPPP Template…, Coastal County Projects, Requirements for Projects within 1/2 mile of a Coastal Receiving Water (CRW) from 1.0 to 2.0 disturbed acres. Requirements for Projects NOT within 1/2 mile of a Coastal Receiving Water (CRW) from 1.0 to 2.0 disturbed acres., Non-Coastal County Projects, Requirements for Projects Outside the Coastal Area from 1.0 to 2.0 disturbed acres. For Projects located within an MS4 jurisdiction, the construction site plan and SWPPP document reviewed for compliance by the MS4 do not need to be submitted to SCDES in order to issue the permit coverage approval. All that is required is the completed NOI, a $125 Fee, and an approval letter from the MS4., Coastal Counties Only: , Projects located within one of the eight coastal counties require a Coastal Zone Consistency determination from, SCDES's Bureau of Coastal Management (SCDES BCM)., A Coastal Zone Consistency submittal package must be submitted with requests for permit coverage for review by SCDES BCM. Contact SCDES BCM regarding submittal requirements., Construction hat, Construction Activities, Information and Requirements on land-disturbing activities for construction activities. Rulers, Less Than 1 Acre, Information and Requirements on land-disturbing activities that disturb less than 1 Acre. drain, Greater Than 2 Acres, Information and Requirements on land-disturbing activities that disturb more than 2.0 Acres.Less than 1 Acre of Land Disturbance
Non-Coastal Counties, For construction activities that disturb less than 1 acre, South Carolina requires that a, Notification Form for Sites Disturbing Less Than 1 Acre, (SCDESForm 2628) be submitted for review. Once it is determined that NPDES coverage is not required, a letter of exemption will be issued to the applicant stating that no further coverage is necessary and that the proposed land disturbance may begin. Construction Activities that are part of a, Larger Common Plan, (LCP) for development or sale, regardless of the amount of disturbance, are required to submit the standard application for Stormwater NPDES Coverage,, Notice of Intent, (SCDES Form 2617). If the less than one (1) acre project is to be constructed inside an MS4 or Urbanized Area, you must first contact the respective MS4 or UA to identify applicable project requirements and receive approval if the MS4 deems such approval appropriate. Less than 1-Acre Notification Requirements, Construction Activities, Information and Requirements on land-disturbing activities for construction activities., Between 1-2 Acres, Information and Requirements on land-disturbing activities that disturb 1.0 to 2.0 Acres of land., Greater Than 2 Acres, Information and Requirements on land disturbing activities that disturb more than 2.0 Acres of land., Coastal Counties, If your construction project is located in the Coastal Zone and is not draining within ½ mile of a coastal receiving water OR meets the criteria for automatic permit coverage, submit notification via a Notification - Less than 1-Acre, Not within 0.5 Miles of a Coastal Receiving Water AND Automatic Permit Coverage ( SCDES Form 0451 ) form as detailed below. Automatic permit coverage under the NPDES, Construction General Permit, (CGP) applies to sites that comprise less than 1 acre of land disturbance, are not part of a larger common plan, and drain within ½ mile of a coastal receiving water, unless DHEC specifically requests a NOI and SWPPP for review and approval, . Below are links to the requirements for each circumstance. Less than 1-Acre Notification Requirements Not within 1/2 mile of Coastal Receiving Waters Notification Requirements - Automatic Permit Coverage Less than 1 Acre within 1/2 mile of Coastal Receiving Waters Contact SCDES's Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management (SCDES-OCRM) for Coastal Zone Consistency submittal requirements on…