F.A.Q.

“Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan” (SWPPP) – a site-specific, written document that, among other things:

1.  identifies potential sources of stormwater pollution at the construction site;
2. describes control measures to reduce or eliminate pollutants in stormwater discharges from the construction site; and 
3. identifies procedures the operator will implement to comply with the terms and conditions of the Construction General Permit (CGP).  

The Construction General Permit (CGP) provides authorization to discharge under the Arizona Pollutant Discharge Elimination Systems (AZPDES) program. This general permit specifically authorizes stormwater discharges associated with construction activity in Arizona. Permit coverage is required from the commencement of construction activities until final stabilization.

An NOI is the form required for authorization of coverage under the Construction General Permit (CGP).

The operator shall file a separate NOI (Notice of Intent) with ADEQ or EPA for each project that disturbs one or more acres of land and has the potential to discharge to the Waters of the United States (WOTUS).

ADEQ:

 The annual fee is based on the acreage of the site and due each year on the anniversary of the authorization issue date.  The fee is based on the amount of acreage disturbed, as follows: 

• Less than 1 acre disturbed: $357*
• 1 to 50 acres disturbed: $499
• Greater than 50 acres disturbed: $714
• SWPPP/SAP first time review fee (if any of the outfalls are within 1/4 mile of impaired, not attaining Outstanding Arizona Waters): $1427
• SWPPP second review fee (if necessary): $714

* An NOI is necessary if the project is part of a greater plan of development or sale that ultimately totals 1 acre or more. 

To set up your myDEQ account through ADEQ visit: https://www.azdeq.gov/mydeq

For more information on Arizona’s Construction General Permit (CGP) click HERE.

EPA:

No Cost

To set up your CDX (Central Data Exchange) account with the EPA click HERE

For more information on the EPA Construction General Permit click HERE.

Control measures/BMPs are Best Management Practices that are implemented to prevent or reduce discharges from your construction site to surface waters.  Control measures may be structural or nonstructural and may be applied before, during or after discharges to reduce or eliminate the introduction of pollutants into surface waters.  In addition, the term shall include erosion, and sediment control measures, stormwater conveyance, stormwater diversion, and treatment structures, and any procedure or facility used to minimize the exposure of pollutants to stormwater or to remove pollutants from stormwater.

Three of the most common inspection schedules include:

1. A minimum of once every 7 calendar days, or
2. A minimum of once every 14 calendar days, and also within 24 hours of each storm event of 0.5 inch or greater in 24 hours: or
3. A minimum of once per month, but not within 14 calendar days of the previous inspection and within 24 hours of the occurrence of a storm event of 0.25 inch or greater.

*Note: within 24 hours of  the occurrence of a “storm event” means that you must conduct an inspection within 24 hours once a storm event has produced 0.5 inches of precipitation within a 24-hour period, even if the storm event is still continuing. Thus, if you have elected to inspect in accordance with (2) above, and there is a storm event at your site that continues for multiple days, and each day of the storm produces 0.5 inches or more of rain, you must conduct an inspection within 24 hours of the first day of the storm and within 24 hours of the end of the storm.

The Construction General Permit requires that inspection personnel are qualified and knowledgeable in the principles and practices of erosion and sediment controls and pollution prevention.  The inspector will possess the skills necessary to assess site conditions and the effectiveness of any control measures utilized. Qualifications must be noted in the SWPPP manual.

Argus Construction personnel have completed Erosion Control Coordinator training and are certified as ECC professionals. These certifications, along with our many years of experience, have given Argus the know-how to get the job done right.

• ADEQ-Arizona Department of Environmental Quality
• AZPDES-Arizona Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
• CWA-Clean Water Act
• CGP-Construction General Permit
• EPA-Environmental Protection Agency
• MS4-Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System
• NPDES-National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
• NOI-Notice of Intent
• NOT-Notice of Termination
• OAW-Outstanding Arizona Water
• SAP-Sampling and Analysis Plan
• SPCC-Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure
• SWMP-Stormwater Management Plan
• SWPPP-Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan
• WOTUS-Waters of the United States