The following staff work in our offices in Columbia and review projects located outside of the 8 coastal counties. Projects are currently assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.
For construction activities that disturb less than 1 acre, South Carolina requires that a Notification Form for Sites Disturbing Less Than 1 Acre (DHEC Form 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.
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 dis
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 would require a stormwater NPDES permit.
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 dis
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 across the country.
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.
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.
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 stormwater BMPs.
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.
