NPDES Stormwater Program

History

In 1972, The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program was established under authority of the federal Clean Water Act and then delegated to the Division of Water Quality for implementation in North Carolina. Phase I of the NPDES stormwater program was established in 1990, and it focused on site and operations planning to reduce pollutant sources.  Phase I covered industrial activities in 10 cateogories; construction activities that disturbed five or more acres; and municipalities with populations of 100,000 or more that owned or operated a municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) (North Carolina had six). Phase II of the program expanded permit requirements to construction disturbing an acre or more and to smaller communities (< 100,000 pop.) and public entities that own or operate an MS4.  Phase II also expanded the option of the No Exposure Exclusion beyond the 'Light Industry' category.

NPDES Stormwater Program Rules and Laws ♦ Application Forms ♦ General Permits and Documents ♦ Monitoring Forms and Documents ♦ No Exposure Certification ♦ Phase II/I MS4 Forms and Resources ♦ Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SPPP) Resources

NPDES Stormwater Application Forms

See the table below for various NPDES stormwater program application forms:

NPDES Stormwater General Permits

North Carolina has several different General Permits that cover stormwater discharges associated with industrial activities and construction (please note that some documents are not yet available in other formats but will be added):

NPDES Stormwater Monitoring Forms and Documents

Below are various monitoring forms: 

No Exposure Certification

Facilities with stormwater discharges "associated with industrial activity" may be excluded from permit coverage if industrial materials and operations are not exposed to stormwater. The facility must maintain this condition of no exposure to qualify for the permitting exclusion. If the condition changes, the facility must seek permit coverage for industrial stormwater discharge under a general or individual permit. The facility is responsible for recertifying every five years that the no exposure condition is being maintained.

The no exposure exemption is not available for construction activities covered under the NPDES stormwater program.  See the following links for more detailed information on No Exposure:

N.C. No Exposure Application Form ♦ EPA Fact Sheet on No Exposure ♦ EPA Guidance Manual on No Exposure Exclusion

Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan Resources

EPA's SPPP templates and resources for the Multi-Sector General Permit (note the MSGP requirements differ from North Carolina NPDES permits, and permittees may need to modify the SPPP template accordingly.)