TDEC Announces Pilot Program For Construction Storm Water Permitting

According to an article from the Chattanoogan.com, a new storm water permit pilot program was announced Tuesday by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.

The program, called the Tennessee Qualified Local Program (QLP), was designed to improve the efficiency of issuing storm water permits while also satisfying state and local permits and improving overall water quality.

The program's main goal is to eliminate the duplicative efforts of the current permitting process.

Funding for the QLP pilot program will be provided through a Storm Water Innovation Grant awarded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 

The grant objectives included developing criteria and incentives for Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s) to become a qualified local program. 

Officials told the Chattanoogan that some of the most significant benefits of a QLP include:

• a more streamlined and efficient process for managing construction storm water by eliminating permit and review duplication at the local and state levels;
• eliminating additional effort at the state level for construction site operators by providing only one set of requirements to follow;
• and a more effective construction storm water program resulting in greater water quality protection. 

While Tennessee’s QLP pilot will be implemented by TDEC, the program is based on EPA’s existing guidelines for similar programs.

TDEC will review and approve up to four MS4s to pilot the QLP program for one year. 

To read the full article, click here.

Source: The Chattanoogan.com