On May 12, 2021 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a Notice of proposed 2022 Construction General Permit (CGP) under the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System Permit Program of the Clean Water Act. The CGP provides permit coverage to construction site operators with construction sites of at least one acre and authorizes those covered to discharge certain pollutants into waters of the United States. The proposed 2022 CGP has several changes from the 2017 CGP, including designating any maintenance action that is not completed within 24 hours of discovering the need for the maintenance as corrective actions. The rule would require increasing additional perimeter control installation and maintenance. EPA is also requesting comment on whether construction site operators should be prohibited from seeking coverage under the CGP if they discharge dewatering water. EPA requests comment on whether permittees should be required to submit photographic evidence they have complied with site stabilization requirements in addition to current inspection and other reporting requirements. Written comments on the notice are due by July 12, 2021.
- Read the Federal Register notice and submit comments here.
- Advocacy contact: Astrika Adams at (202) 205-6948.