Last month, public comment ended on the new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) construction general permit (CGP). The permit relates to stormwater discharges from construction sites and is designed to minimize soil erosion and the delivery of sediment to receiving waters. The most significant changes to the permit include a numeric effluent limit for turbidity that applies to large construction sites and a standard 2-year design storm for all measures. While this regulation only impacts those states and entities directly regulated by EPA, these changes signal likely future changes in state programs. WEF submitted comments on the permit with input from its Stormwater Coordinating Council and Government Affairs Stormwater Workgroup.

The new permit will be finalized prior to expiration — recently extended until Feb. 15, 2012 — of the 2008 CGP. The change affects all EPA Regions except Region 4. See the July 8 Federal Register for more details.