Colorado’s Stormwater Construction Colorado’s Stormwater Construction Compliance Assurance ProgramCompliance Assurance Program

Dave Akers

Colorado Water Quality Control Division

CLE – March 22, 2006

OverviewOverview

• 1975 - Colorado Delegated NPDES Program • 1993 Phase I Stormwater Regulations Adopted

– Permits Req’d for “Construction” (Disturbance) ≥ 5 Acres– “Compliance Assistance”-Based Program– “Complaint-Driven” Inspections

• 1998 – First SW Enforcement Case – Complaint• 2000 - Phase II Stormwater Regulations Adopted

– Permits Req’d for “Construction” (Disturbance) ≥ 1 Acre– Compliance Assistance Approach Continues for Phase I & II

Overview (Continued)Overview (Continued)

• 2001 – “Wet Weather” Sector EPA Priority– EPA Increased Inspections – National SW Cases

• 2002 – Additional Insp./Enforcement Resources• 2003 – Increased Expectation for Colorado Storm-

Water Inspections– WQCD Inspections at 59 Sites (Mostly Const.)

• 2004 – Local Health Dept. Inspections Begin– Increased Capacity - > 300 Inspections 7/04-6/05

• 2005 WQCD Enforcement Response Guide

InspectionsInspections

• Primary Means of Assessing Compliance– Critical Due to No Self-Reported Data

• Assess Adequacy of Stormwater Mgt. Plan• Determine Permittee Implementation of SWMP• Confirm Conduct of Bi-Weekly Inspections

– Plan-Do-Check Loop to Confirm SWMP Performance

• Historically Complaint-Driven until FY 04

Expanded WQCD Inspection ProgramExpanded WQCD Inspection Program

• Resources Obtained in 2002 Legislative Session– Ostensibly for Local Health Depts. to Conduct Inspections

• Goal to Have Statewide Coverage– Will Require Contractors for Non-LHD Areas

• Training of Local HDs in September 2004• 318 Total Inspections Conducted in FY 05• Inspection Quality Variable• Refresher/New LHD Training Last Fall• Additional Resource Request Before Legislature

EnforcementEnforcement

• Little to No Enforcement Prior to 2003• Enforcement Response Guide Adopted 2005• Defines Process for Enforcement Response• Formal Enforcement for Most Serious Violations

– Documented Environmental Impacts– Failure to Obtain a Permit– Failure to Develop/Implement Stormwater Mgt. Plan

• Includes Civil Penalties– Based on Number/Seriousness of Violations

Enforcement (Continued)Enforcement (Continued)

• Compliance Assurance/Enforcement More Ingrained in SW Program

• More Inspections - More Enforcement Referrals• Several Recent “High Profile” Cases

– SECC – TREX– Ames Const. - Southern Access Road

• Relatively Large Penalties• Additional Tools Beyond Enforcement Needed

Stormwater Excellence ProgramStormwater Excellence Program

• Response to 2001-2 EPA Enforcement • WQCD Collaboration w/Assn. Of Gen. Contractors• EMS-Based/Env. Contractor-Administered Pilot• Initial results

– Compliance Rates Improved– Expectation of Improved Environmental Performance

• Phase II Pilot– Trade Association (Ass’n. Gen. Contractors) Administered– Trade Ass’n. Contracts w/3rd Party Auditors– Develop industry sector-specific training curriculum– Expandable to Other Trade Associations– EMS Approach Encourages “Beyond Compliance”

The FutureThe Future

• Broader Inspection Coverage• Improved Inspection Quality• Increased Use of Innovative Compliance

Approaches• Better Industry and Public Understanding• Better Water Quality

QuestionsQuestions