SWPPP requirements in California

The SWPPP is one of the Permit Registration Documents that must be certified and submitted together with the Notice of Intent (and Risk Level determination) through SMARTS, and a WDID number (which authorizes commencement of construction) is not issued until all Permit Registration Documents, including the SWPPP, are submitted.

Notice of Intent, including Risk Level determination as described in Attachment D.1; ... Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) (see Section IV.O, below);

prior to the commencement of construction activity

Why this applies here: This is the deadline for a new site. A transfer to a new operator or an emergency related project has a different deadline.

The Discharger shall obtain a Waste Discharge Identification (WDID) number prior to the commencement of construction activity by electronically certifying and submitting the following Permit Registration Documents through the State Water Board Stormwater Multiple Application and Report Tracking System (SMARTS)

Weekly BMP inspection required for Risk Level 1, 2, and 3 sites; a pre-, during-, or post-Qualifying Precipitation Event inspection also satisfies the weekly requirement.

Why this applies here: You have not confirmed whether the site discharges to an impaired or high quality water. If it does, the increased frequency applies instead and this answer changes.

Dischargers shall conduct weekly visual inspections to ensure that BMPs are properly installed and maintained. A pre-, during-, or post-qualifying precipitation event inspection also satisfies the weekly visual inspection requirement.

Qualified SWPPP Developer (QSD), Qualified SWPPP Practitioner (QSP), or a person trained by the QSP

Why this applies here: This is why Basinwise cannot perform your inspections. The permit requires a trained person physically on the site.

Except as specified in Section III.C.3 below, inspectors shall be the Qualified SWPPP Developer, Qualified SWPPP Practitioner, or be trained by the Qualified SWPPP Practitioner.

Dischargers must immediately initiate stabilization for disturbed areas whenever earth-disturbing activities have permanently ceased on any portion of the site, or have temporarily ceased on any portion of the site and will not resume for a period exceeding 14 calendar days.

Why this applies here: This applies at both land disturbance amounts.

Immediately initiate stabilization for disturbed areas whenever earth disturbing activities have permanently ceased on any portion of the site, or temporarily ceased on any portion of the site and will not resume for a period exceeding 14 calendar days;

Dischargers shall provide and maintain natural buffers and/or equivalent erosion and sediment controls when a water of the U.S. is located within 50 feet of the site's earth disturbances, unless infeasible. Alternatives: (a) maintain an undisturbed 50-foot natural buffer, (b) maintain a smaller undisturbed buffer supplemented by controls achieving equivalent sediment load reduction, or (c) implement controls achieving the equivalent sediment load reduction with no buffer at all if infeasible.

Dischargers shall provide and maintain natural buffers and/or equivalent erosion and sediment controls when a water of the U.S. is located within 50 feet of the site’s earth disturbances, unless infeasible.

All required records and reports, including a copy of the General Permit, attachments, and Fact Sheet, from the date generated or date submitted, whichever is later. Regional Water Boards may require longer retention.

Why this applies here: The clock runs from permit expiry or termination, not from when the record was written, so on a multi year project every record stays live for the whole project plus three years.

The discharger shall maintain a paper or electronic copy of all required records and reports, including but not limited to, a copy of this General Permit and all its attachments and Fact Sheet, for three years from the date generated or date submitted whichever is later.