P7.2: Control and Restrain Construction Pollutants – Above Green

(Required)

INTENT

Protect receiving waters (including surface water, groundwater, and combined sewers or stormwater systems), air quality, and public safety by preventing and minimizing the discharge of construction site pollutants and materials.

REQUIREMENTS*

Create and implement an erosion, sedimentation, and pollutant control plan, commonly referred to as a stormwater pollution prevention plan (SWPPP) or erosion and sedimentation control plan (ESC) for all construction activities associated with the project.
- Regardless of project size, the plan (SWPPP or ESC) must conform to erosion and sedimentation requirements of the most current version of the U.S. EPA Construction General Permit (or local equivalent from projects outside the United States) or local erosion and sedimentation control standards and codes, whichever is more stringent. The plan must list the best management practices (BMPs) employed and describe how the BMPs accomplish the following objectives:
  - Prevent loss of soil during construction by stormwater runoff or wind erosion, including protecting topsoil by stockpiling or covering for reuse.
  - Prevent and reduce sediment discharges into storm conveyances, receiving waters, or other public infrastructure components or systems.
  - Prevent polluting the air with dust and particulate matter.
  - Prevent runoff and infiltration of other pollutants from construction sites (e.g., thermal pollution, concrete wash, fuels, solvents, hazardous chemical runoff, high or low pH discharges, pavement sealants) and ensure proper disposal of all construction related materials.
  - Protect any Vegetation and Soil Protection Zones (VSPZs) and other areas of vegetation that will remain on site from construction activities.
Ensure the section of the site maintenance plan (see O+M P8.1: Plan for sustainable site maintenance) is complete and describes the on-going management activities to protect the integrity of VSPZs.

Note: The construction phase of the project is considered complete when the site is stabilized, a notice of termination is filed, or a notice of substantial completion is issued.

The construction general permit (CGP) outlines the provisions necessary to comply with Phase I and Phase II of the U.S. EPA National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program (or local equivalent for projects outside the United States). Although the CGP applies only to sites greater than one acre (0.40 hectares), its requirements are applied to all projects for the purposes of this prerequisite.

RECOMMENDED STRATEGIES

Employ strategies such as a combination of temporary and permanent seeding, mulching, earth dikes, sediment traps, sediment basins, filter socks, compost berms and blankets, secondary containment, spill control equipment, hazardous waste manifests, and overfill alarms.
Implement post-construction stormwater management with construction sequencing (e.g., infiltration systems constructed or rehabilitated at the end of the project). Account for weather conditions during construction activities to minimize unintended chemical dispersal or other adverse effects on and off site (e.g. apply pavement sealers and perform mass-grading operations only when no rain is predicted).