Minnesota
Minnesota issues its own construction general permit. We have read Construction Stormwater General Permit (NPDES/SDS General Permit MNR100001) and list below the requirements we could cite to it, with the scope limits stated plainly. Screen your own acreage further down.
Who may prepare the plan
A credentialed preparer is requiredMinnesota requires a credentialed preparer. Treat the generated document as a complete draft for that person to review, adopt and sign. It is not by itself a compliant filed plan.
Qualifying routes
Confirmed by direct read of the permit. Part 21.2 requires SWPPP preparers, implementers/inspectors, and BMP installers/maintainers to receive training commensurate with their duties. Part 21.3 requires training from a qualified agency/organization/entity (no single named MPCA course) and a refresher course every 3 years. No PE stamp/seal requirement found anywhere in the permit for SWPPP preparation; the only engineering-review language (16.19) is a narrow MS4-review provision for infiltration systems near drinking water supply areas, unrelated to SWPPP preparer credentials.
Coverage trigger
The project disturbs 3 acres, at or above the 1 acre threshold, so it needs permit coverage.
The trigger people miss is the second one. A half acre lot inside a 40 acre subdivision is covered, because the larger common plan of development or sale is what counts, not the lot.
Worked for a three acre site with the receiving water unconfirmed. Each line says why it attached to this site rather than in general. Check the notes above for the site sizes this permit does not cover.
The owner must develop a complete and accurate SWPPP prior to submitting the application for permit coverage and starting construction activity; failure to do so may result in permit revocation.
The owner must develop a complete and accurate SWPPP that complies with item 5.2 prior to submitting the application for coverage and starting construction activity. Failure to prepare a SWPPP prior to submitting the application may result in permit revocation.
For projects disturbing 50+ acres with a discharge point within 1 mile of a special or impaired water, the complete SWPPP must be submitted with the application at least 30 days before construction. For all other projects, coverage becomes effective simply upon submitting the application and fee, and construction cannot begin until coverage is effective.
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.
For certain projects or common plans of development or sale disturbing 50 acres or more, the complete SWPPP must be included with the application and submitted at least 30 days before the start of construction activity.
Permittees must submit a NOT within 30 days after all termination conditions are complete (e.g., construction complete and permanent cover established), or within 30 days after selling/transferring the entire site.
Permittees must submit a NOT within 30 days after all termination conditions listed in Section 13 are complete.
A trained person must inspect the entire construction site at least once every 7 days during active construction and within 24 hours after a rainfall event greater than 1/2 inch in 24 hours.
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.
Permittees must ensure a trained person, as identified in item 21.2.b, will inspect the entire construction site at least once every seven (7) days during active construction and within 24 hours after a rainfall event greater than 1/2 inch in 24 hours.
Permittees must ensure that at least one individual present on the site (or available to the project site within 3 calendar days) is trained in overseeing implementation/revision of the SWPPP and performing inspections; one such individual must be available for an on-site inspection within 72 hours upon request by the MPCA.
Why this applies here: This is why Basinwise cannot perform your inspections. The permit requires a trained person physically on the site.
Permittees must ensure that at least one individual present on the site (or available to the project site in three (3) calendar days) is trained in the job duties described in item 21.2.b. [...] One of these individuals must be available for an on-site inspection within 72 hours upon request by the MPCA.
"Initiated immediately" means taking an action to commence soil stabilization as soon as practicable, but no later than the end of the workday following the day when land-disturbing activities cease, if the permittees know the work will be ceased for 14 or more additional calendar days (or 7 calendar days for special/impaired waters).
Why this applies here: This applies at both land disturbance amounts.
"Initiated immediately" means taking an action to commence soil stabilization as soon as practicable, but no later than the end of the workday, following the day when the land-disturbing activities temporarily or permanently cease, if the permittees know that construction work on that portion of the site will be temporarily ceased for 14 or more additional calendar days or 7 calendar days where item 23.9 applies.
by the end of the next business day after discovery
Permittees must repair, replace or supplement all nonfunctional BMPs with functional BMPs by the end of the next business day after discovery unless another time frame is specified in item 11.5 or 11.6. Permittees may take additional time if field conditions prevent access to the area.
Permittees must remove all deltas and sediment deposited adjacent to the project and surface waters and restabilize exposed soil, completing within 7 calendar days of discovery unless precluded by access constraints.
Permittees must complete removal and stabilization within seven (7) calendar days of discovery unless precluded by legal, regulatory, or physical access constraints. Permittees must use all reasonable efforts to obtain access. If precluded, removal and stabilization must take place within seven (7) days of obtaining access.
Permittees must preserve a 50-foot natural buffer or, if infeasible, provide redundant (double) perimeter sediment controls at least 5 feet apart, when a surface water is within 50 feet of the earth disturbances and stormwater flows to it.
Permittees must preserve a 50-foot natural buffer or, if a buffer is infeasible on the site, provide redundant (double) perimeter sediment controls when a surface water is located within 50 feet of the project's earth disturbances and stormwater flows to the surface water.
Permittees must record all inspection and maintenance activities within 24 hours of being conducted; these records must be retained with the SWPPP.
Permittees must record all inspections and maintenance activities within 24 hours of being conducted and these records must be retained with the SWPPP.
Permittees must amend the SWPPP within 7 days to include additional or modified BMPs whenever there is a significant change in conditions affecting pollutant discharge.
Permittees must amend the SWPPP within 7 days to include additional or modified BMPs whenever there is a change in design, construction, operation, maintenance, weather or seasonal conditions having a significant effect on the discharge of pollutants to surface waters or groundwater.
Permittees must make the SWPPP, including all inspection reports, available to officials within 3 days upon request, for the duration of the permit and for 3 years following submission of the NOT.
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.
In addition to the requirement found in section 20, permittees must make the SWPPP, including all inspection reports, maintenance records, training records and other information required by this permit, available to federal, state, and local officials within three (3) days upon request for the duration of the permit and for three (3) years following the NOT.
Your acreage, your receiving water, your answer. Runs in your browser, nothing is transmitted.
This is EPA's list, from the 2022 Construction General Permit. It does NOT govern in Minnesota, where the state issues its own permit and sets its own contents. It is here as a shape to expect, not as the requirement you will be held to.
Read the permit itself at the source document.
Minnesota issues its own construction general permit, and we have read Construction Stormwater General Permit (NPDES/SDS General Permit MNR100001). The requirements listed on this page, such as inspection frequency, who may inspect, stabilisation, corrective action and record retention, are cited to that permit rather than to EPA's. Anything we have not transcribed is left out instead of assumed to match the federal rule, and the scope note on this page says which sites the permit does not cover. Confirm the current permit and any site-size variant with Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA).
Minnesota requires a credentialed preparer. Treat the generated document as a complete draft for that person to review, adopt and sign. It is not by itself a compliant filed plan.
The inspection frequency is set by the Minnesota construction general permit, which we have not read. Confirm it with Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA).
Screening is free. Pro generates the site specific plan document and retains the inspection and corrective action log.