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Stormwater Home
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Stormwater
Precipitation often transports pollutants into nearby water bodies. During precipitation events, stormwater runoff (also referred to as stormwater discharges) can come into contact and transport pollutants such as fertilizers, pesticides, fecal matter, oil and grease, trash, and sediment such that water quality is adversely affected.Federal regulations require permits for stormwater discharges associated with industrial activity (including construction projects disturbing more than one acre of land) and Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s). These permits require controls on storm water discharges, primarily through the use of best management practices, designed to reduce the transport of pollutants in storm water to waters of the United States.
EPA Region 8 is responsible for permitting storm water discharges associated with industrial activity and Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s) where they are the permitting authority. The Region 8 office also conducts industrial and municipal inspections to ensure compliance with federal storm water regulations.
NPDES Permitting Authority - EPA has issued general permits for industrial storm water discharges where EPA is the NPDES permitting authority. Within EPA Region 8, EPA retains NPDES permitting authority only for the following areas: Federal facilities in Colorado, and Indian Country Lands in: Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming. For all other areas in the Region, the appropriate State is the NPDES permitting authority (see "Regional & State Contacts" link).
