Describe the regulatory requirements for managing stormwater runoff from industrial sites.

The regulatory requirements for managing stormwater runoff from industrial sites in the United States are primarily governed by the Clean Water Act (CWA) and its implementing regulations. The CWA establishes a comprehensive framework for protecting the nation's waters by regulating the discharge of pollutants from point sources and non-point sources, including stormwater runoff. The main regulatory mechanism for controlling stormwater runoff from industrial sites is the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program.

The NPDES Stormwater Program:

The NPDES stormwater program, administered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or delegated state agencies, requires industrial facilities that discharge stormwater to obtain a permit. There are two main types of NPDES stormwater permits for industrial facilities:

1. Individual Permits: These permits are tailored to the specific conditions and needs of an individual facility. They are typically required for facilities with complex operations or significant potential to discharge pollutants in stormwater runoff.
2. General Permits: These permits cover a category of similar facilities with similar types of discharges. They are typically easier and less costly to obtain than individual permits, but they require compliance with a set of standard conditions.

Who Needs a Stormwater Permit?

The NPDES stormwater regulations define specific categories of industrial facilities that are required to obtain stormwater permits. These categories are based on Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes or narrative descriptions of industrial activities and include:

Facilities subject to