Wheeler & Gray provides registered Qualified SWPPP Developer and Practitioner (QSD/P) services throughout California. Projects that disturb an area of one acre or larger are regulated by one or more storm water discharge permits in California. The California General Permit for Storm Water Discharges Associated with Construction Activities and Land Disturbances (Construction General Permit or CGP) requires that owners of projects that create a land disturbance of one acre or more prepare a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP)  for Construction Activities. The SWPPP must be filed with the State Water Resources Board using the Storm Water Multiple Application and Report Tracking System (SMARTS) with a Notice of Intent (NOI) and filing fee. The Notice of Intent and filing documents, once accepted, create “coverage” under the permit. Annual reports and fees are required for projects that last more than one year. Coverage under the permit is terminated upon the filing of a Notice of Termination and certification that the site has been permanently stabilized for erosion control.

Construction Site and Post-Construction storm water management are generally regulated by different permits. However, for owners, operators and projects that are not regulated by the Phase I or the Phase II Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System Storm Water Discharge permits, the CGP includes a “Post Construction Water Balance Calculator” that must be satisfied by structural Best Management Practices (BMP) within the design and construction of the project. Structural BMPs may consist of stormwater retention basins, landscaping, permeable paving or a combination of these and other options. Wheeler & Gray can help you sort through the decisions and determine the best solution for your project.