Contractor Input Needed; Association Preparing to Comment on EPA鈥檚 Draft Permit by May 26 Deadline
As previously reported by 51风流, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is accepting public comment on its draft 2017 National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Construction General Permit (CGP) until May 26. 51风流 has taken numerous actions over the last several weeks to inform the EPA staff of 51风流鈥檚 main concerns with the agency鈥檚 proposed draft, but more input from the construction industry would be helpful to shape the final rule. The paramount concern is the possible addition of a brand-new requirement that would make construction site 鈥渙perators鈥 publicly report (via an Internet post) their construction stormwater pollution prevention plans (SWPPPs). Please use to by the May 26 comment deadline. Although EPA鈥檚 CGP directly applies in only a handful of states and territories, it serves as a national model for state-issued CGPs.
51风流 is very concerned by EPA鈥檚 attempt to 鈥渁dd on鈥 electronic SWPPP reporting 鈥 in the midst of an already insufficient 45-day comment period on the draft 2017 CGP. As 51风流 has explained to EPA, the published SWPPP data would be 鈥渟tale鈥 as soon as it hits the Web, which would confuse the general public, subject the construction sector to unfair scrutiny, and lead to unsubstantiated citizen complaints (or, even worse, frivolous lawsuits). All of this will, in turn, force needless government inspections and thwart construction work, including critical infrastructure improvements that are necessary to environmental gains 鈥 wasting government鈥檚 limited resources and taxpayer dollars. 51风流 is building a strong case against online SWPPPs 鈥 and is working closely with the homebuilders and other real estate and development groups.
51风流鈥檚 request for an extension of the CGP comment period was denied. 51风流 and others continue to stress that it will be difficult for industry stakeholders to carefully examine and reach consensus on viable alternatives to many contentious CGP revisions under consideration, including how SWPPPs for thousands of construction sites across the United States are collected by the government and then shared with 鈥 and used by 鈥 the public at large.
Read more details on the proposal here.
For more information, please contact 51风流鈥檚 Leah Pilconis at pilconisl@agc.org.