Developing Your StormWater Prevention Plan

Purpose of this Guidance Document

This document provides guidance to construction site operators that need to prepare a SWPPP in order to receive NPDES permit coverage for their stormwater discharges. The Clean Water Act provisions, EPA regulations and EPA’s Construction General Permit described in this document contain legally binding requirements. This document does not substitute for those provisions, regulations or permit, nor is it a regulation or permit itself. It also does not substitute for requirements under State law or construction general permits issued by States. It does not impose legally-binding requirements on EPA, States, or the regulated community, and may not apply to a particular  situation based upon the circumstances. EPA and State decisionmakers retain the discretion to adopt approaches on a case-by-case basis that differ from this guidance where appropriate. Any decisions regarding a particular

construction site will be made based on the applicable statutes, regulations and/or permit terms. Therefore, interested parties are free to raise questions and objections about the appropriateness of the application of this guidance to a particular situation, and EPA—or the applicable NPDES permitting authority—will consider whether or not the recommendations or interpretations in the guidance are appropriate in that situation based on the law and regulations. This guidance document occasionally uses language describing mandatory requirements for construction site operators and those covered by a general permit for stormwater discharges from such sites. This language is generally intended to reflect requirements applicable where EPA is the NPDES permitting authority. Although requirements in jurisdictions where EPA is not the permitting authority may resemble these requirements, the reader should not assume that this guidance accurately describes those requirements. Rather, the reader should consult the applicable regulations and any applicable NPDES permit.