Certification Helps Beef UP State Erosion and Sediment Control Programs
If other states follow the lead of New York and California, the value of Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control (CPESC) and other EnviroCert International credentials should continue to rise. Currently, a CPESC is one of just four categories of professionals recognized by the state of New York as qualified to prepare a stormwater pollution prevention plan (SWPPP) and inspect constructions sites for compliance with erosion and sediment control rules. Meanwhile, the State Water Resources Control Board is proposing a similar requirement in California.
“Such a requirement is seen as providing some assurance that the person preparing a SWPPP has the necessary technical expertise,” explains Eric Berntsen, a staff environmental scientist with the California agency.
The New York CPESC requirement dates back to 1993, when the state set minimum professional requirements under its first NPDES General Permit for Stormwater Discharges from Construction Sites. Under this permit, which currently covers over 7,000 sites, individuals preparing erosion and sediment control plans as part of SWPPP must be either a CPESC, a licensed professional engineer (P.E.), a licensed landscape architect, or someone supervised by a P.E. with the P.E. signing off.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) wanted consistency in the erosion and sediment control work being done on construction sites,” reports Don Lake, CPESC, CPSWQ, adjunct professor at the State University of New York and former engineering specialist with the New York State Soil and Water Conservation Committee.
“These qualifications pertain to designers and individuals who are doing weekly site inspections for the owners to stay in compliance with the SWPPP and the general permit,” he says. “They apply to all projects where soil disturbances exceed one acre. Residential, commercial, industrial, even utility and road construction are covered under the definition.”
A Big Improvement
Getting the CPESC credential recognized in the general permit resulted from the work of various local and state agencies and organizations, such as Soil and Water Conservation Districts, the New York Soil and Water Committee, and the DEC. “The DEC viewed the CPESC organization, record keeping, technical exam requirements, and governing body as very well thought out and setting a high standard,” Lake says.
New York’s approach to the CPESC credential has proven successful. “I believe, without exception, that the quality of the erosion and sediment control plans being prepared for projects has improved dramatically,” Lake says. “At the construction sites too, much improvement has been seen.”
Currently, the state’s general permit does not accept EnviroCert International’s two other certifications-Certified Professional in Storm Water Quality (CPSWQ) and Certified Erosion, Sediment, and Storm Water Inspector-as stand-alone certification because of their more narrow focus, he notes. However, he adds that could change with more evaluations at the state level.
The newest general permit is also designed to improve performance by others involved with controlling erosion and sediment. Contractors and site inspectors must receive four hours of erosion and sediment control training every three years. “I believe many of these inspectors will advance their skills to become a CPESC,” Lake says.
New Requirements
Meanwhile, in California, the State Water Resources Control Board has proposed including the CPESC as well as the CPSWQ and CESSWI credentials as qualifications for preparing a SWPPP or inspecting an erosion and sediment control project. It’s part of the process to revise the state’s current NPDES construction general permit, which is to be adopted sometime in 2009.
Under this proposal, only a qualified SWPPP developer would be approved to design a SWPPP and inspect a site for compliance with erosion and sediment control requirements. Furthermore, it requires such an individual to be a CPESC, a CPSWQ, or one of several other designations, including professional engineer, professional hydrologist, or landscape architect. At the same time, a person holding the CESSWI designation would be recognized as qualified to inspect a site for compliance.
“These requirements provide a baseline of knowledge of how to control erosion and sediment at a construction site,” Berntsen says. “One reason for including the various EnviroCert International credentials was their recurrent training requirements and the availability of training to qualify for and maintain these certifications.”
He expects these new requirements to be included in the final permit. “That’s subject to change, of course,” Berntsen says. “But, for the most part, stakeholders support these revisions. Unlike other aspects of the proposed new permit, these changes haven’t been very controversial.”
