Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan Coverage Now Required at 2,500 s.f. in Many Localities Effective January 29, 2005, administration and enforcement of the Virginia Pollution Discharge Elimination System (VPDES) General Permit Program for construction stormwater discharges was transferred from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). While the regulations themselves were not changed as a result of the regulatory transfer, there was a significant reduction in the minimum disturbed area that will now require coverage under the permit for Chesapeake Bay Preservation localities. Previously, projects that disturbed one or more acre(s) were required to apply for coverage. This limit remains in effect for all jurisdictions. However, for jurisdictions regulated under the state's Chesapeake Bay Act regulations, the new limit is now only 2,500 s.f. for projects located in a Resource Management Area (RMA) or in a Resource Protection Area (RPA). This includes all of Fairfax and Prince William Counties and the cities/towns of Alexandria, Arlington, Herndon, Vienna, and Fairfax, since these jurisdictions have jurisdiction-wide RMA’s. Projects requiring a permit in Loudoun County and the City of Manassas remain at one acre or more. Coverage under the permit requires completion and submittal of a Registration Statement and the development of a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP), which requires routine site inspection after each “runoff producing event”. These requirements have not changed. The only bright side for smaller sites that now require coverage is that there is currently no fee for projects less than one acre. Administratively, the name of the permit has been changed to Virginia Stormwater Management Program (VSMP) permit and the addresses to send the Registration Statement and required fee to ($500 for projects of five acres or more and $300 for projects from one to five acres) have also changed. You can access the DCR website for more information and to obtain the revised forms. Also feel free to contact Frank Graziano, P.E. at Wetland Studies for more information.