SWPPP Guides, Permit Updates and State Requirements
Nationwide stormwater compliance guidance from Derek E. Chinners, CPESC — construction and industrial SWPPP requirements, permit filing steps, inspection schedules and state-by-state rules, updated as permits change. Not sure whether your project needs a plan? Take the 60-second SWPPP quiz.
What Does AIM Level 1, 2, or 3 Benchmark Exceedance Require Under the MSGP?
Under EPA's 2021 Multi-Sector General Permit, AIM Level 1 requires SWPPP review and implementation of necessary control measures within 14 days of laboratory results, or 45 days if documented as infeasible. Level 2 requires additional pollution-prevention and...
Do SWPPP Inspection Requirements Change From State to State?
SWPPP inspection services operate under the permit authority applicable to each project. EPA's 2022 Construction General Permit applies only where EPA remains the permitting authority; most states administer their own construction-stormwater programs with distinct...
Can a New Facility Still Get MSGP Coverage While EPA’s 2026 MSGP Isn’t Finalized?
A new facility cannot obtain EPA MSGP coverage after February 28, 2026 until the replacement permit is finalized. EPA's administratively continued 2021 MSGP applies only to operators already authorized before expiration. New facilities must wait for the final 2026...
Does California SB 205 Require a Stormwater Permit to Renew Your Business License?
California SB 205 does not require construction contractors to present a stormwater permit to renew a business license. The statute applies to businesses subject to California's Industrial General Permit, which regulates industrial facilities with outdoor material...
Does a Truck Yard or Trucking Terminal Need a SWPPP?
A truck yard or trucking terminal needs a SWPPP when it is subject to an industrial stormwater permit—typically because its primary activity falls within a regulated transportation category, it has exposed industrial materials or operations, and stormwater from the...
What Changed in the Rhode Island 2026 Construction Stormwater Permit?
Rhode Island's 2026 RIPDES Construction General Permit takes effect September 27, 2026, replacing the interim 2025 permit. Key changes include express turbidity monitoring for dewatering discharges, site-stabilization photographs required for termination, and...
Do You Need a SHPO Letter Before an Illinois Stormwater NOI?
Illinois construction contractors should obtain the SHPO approval letter before submitting the construction NOI because Illinois EPA's current construction-permit instructions identify the SHPO approval letter as a required NOI upload, along with the SWPPP and...
Does My SIC Code Require an Industrial Stormwater Permit?
An SIC code does not automatically require an industrial stormwater permit. Permit duty depends on whether your facility conducts a listed primary industrial activity, stormwater contacts industrial materials outdoors, that stormwater discharges to surface water or a...