5.5. SR 02-24-2003MEMORANDUM
Item # 5.5.
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT:
Mayor and City Council
Rebecca Haug, Environmental Technician
February 19, 2003
NPDES Phase II
The City of Elk River is required to obtain a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
(NPDES) Phase II permit by March 10, 2003. This permit will require the City to develop and
implement programs and practices to control impacted storm water runoff. Many of the programs
and practices are currently being done, however some of them will require some tweaking. This
program will also require annual reporting. The City is investigating some computer software to
help implement this program and make the annual reporting easier.
Since construction activities that disturb one or more acres of land must apply for and obtain a
NPDES permit, the City might consider charging to recover some of the costs that will be incurred
by this program. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency 0VIPCA) has set up a proposed fee
schedule.
This program is part of an amended Clean Water Act, which required the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) to develop regulations for storm water discharges. The EPA's storm water
regulations and Minnesota's storm water program are designed to protect the quality of surface
waters by preventing or reducing soil erosion and other pollutants from leaving construction sites
both during and after construction.
Since November 1990 when the MPCA was delegated authority by the EPA to administer the
NPDES program, applicants in the Phase I program received NPDES authorization by applying to
the MPCA. Phase I required that construction activities that disturb five or more acres of land apply
for and obtain a NPDES and large municipalities (Minneapolis and St. Paul) were required to obtain
a NPDES permit.