Phase II NPDES Stormwater Program

The Phase II National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Stormwater Program requires operators of small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s) in urbanized areas and small construction sites to implement programs and practices to control polluted stormwater runoff.  Certain municipalities, state departments of transportation, universities, local sewer districts, hospitals, military bases, and prisons may be required to submit an NPDES permit by March 10, 2003.

The Phase II NPDES Stormwater Program requires operators of small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s) in urbanized areas and small construction sites to implement programs and practices to control polluted stormwater runoff.  Certain municipalities, state departments of transportation, universities, local sewer districts, hospitals, military bases, and prisons were required to submit an NPDES permit application by  March 10, 2003.  An MS4 is not always just a system of underground pipes; it can include roads with drainage systems, gutters, and ditches.  “MS4 owners:  contact F. X. Browne, Inc. if we can assist you with preparing your Annual Report and implementing your stormwater management program that the permit requires.”

Not all small MS4s are covered by the Phase II regulations.  Only a selected set of small MS4s, referred to as regulated MS4s, is covered by the Phase II regulations, either through automatic nationwide designation or designation on a case-by-case basis by the NPDES permitting authority.  To find out if your MS4 was required to submit a permit, look at the Phase II Urbanized Area maps located on the EPA website at http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater/urbanmaps.cfm.

Part of the requirements of the Phase II General Permit is to implement six minimum control measures to prevent stormwater impacts on water quality.  The six minimum control measures are:

1. Public Education and Outreach Minimum Control Measure
2. Public Participation and Involvement Minimum Control Measures
3. Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination Minimum Control Measure
4. Construction Site Runoff Control Minimum Control Measure
5. Post-Construction Stormwater Runoff Control Minimum Control Measure
6. Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping Minimum Control Measure

Each state is required to develop their NPDES Phase II Stormwater General permits.  NPDES stormwater permits are issued by an NPDES permitting authority, which may be an authorized State or U.S. EPA region in non-authorized States.  For more information on the Phase II NPDES Stormwater Program, visit the following websites:

PA (Sorry this link is no longer active 7/04)
NJ http://www.state.nj.us/dep/dwq/municstw.html

F. X. Browne, Inc. has over 25 years of experience in stormwater management.  We can assist you in implementing your NPDES program.  F. X. Browne, Inc. can assist you in many ways:

• Developing a stormwater management ordinance and integrating it into your existing ordinances, 
  

• Developing and distributing educational and outreach materials, 
  

• Performing an inventory of existing storm sewers to identify any illicit discharges, 
  

• Developing a program for municipal pollution prevention and good housekeeping, and 
  

• Developing a stormwater management program.

For immediate assistance in implementing your stormwater management program, call us at 1-800-220-2022 or e-mail us at npdes@fxbrowne.com.