Proposed New Construction General Permit Guaranteed to Change the Way Contractors Manage Stormwater Runoff: AGC Requests Comments
NOTE: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) recent proposal to significantly change the federal construction general permit (CGP) has NATIONWIDE IMPLICATIONS!! Even though the new federal CGP will apply only in areas where EPA is the permitting authority – it is likely to act as a template, setting a baseline for EPA’s approval of state permits for stormwater runoff from any construction jobsite that disturbs one acre or more of land. Please read the AGC article below to learn about the significant proposed permit modifications and then provide your input and recommendations to AGC. Your responses will help shape the Association’s comments to EPA!
AGC’s 5-Step Response Plan
1. After reading AGC’s Environmental Observer article - Proposed New Construction General Permit Guaranteed to Change the Way Contractors Manage Stormwater Runoff - please review the list of 26 questions that AGC would like contractor members to respond to as soon as possible, but no later than Friday, May 20th. Please email pilconisl@agc.org – you do not need to answer every question.
2. AGC will participate in an EPA webcast on Tuesday, May 24th on the proposed permit and provide the Agency with the Association’s initial comments and concerns. This flyer provides more information on EPA’s May 24th webcast or log on to www.epa.gov/npdes/training.
3. AGC will host its own private, member-only webinar (NO CHARGE) on Wednesday, June 1st (1:00 to 3:00pm ET) for AGC Chapters and Members to discuss the real-world, practical implications of the proposed permit modifications -- including industry projections of the increased cost, paperwork burdens and legal risk for construction site operators tasked with stormwater compliance. Addition information will be available soon, but if you would like to reserve your spot now, please email yatesc@agc.org.
4. By mid-June , AGC plans to circulate a “template” comment letter for AGC Chapters and Members to customize and submit to EPA under their own signature. Stay tuned!
5. AGC will submit a detailed and comprehensive comment letter to EPA by the June 24th comment deadline.