What is NPDES Phase II and Who is Affected?
Storm water runoff has been a source of great concern for many years. It can pollute lakes and streams. As a result, the 1987 amendments to the Clean Water Act required the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) to address storm water runoff in two phases. Phase I of the NPDES Storm Water Program began in 1990 and applied to large and medium municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4) and 11 industrial categories including construction sites disturbing five acres of land or more. Phase II of the NPDES Storm Water Program will begin in March 2003 and applies to additional MS4s and construction sites disturbing equal to or greater than one but less than five acres of land. Phase II also expands the industrial “no exposure” exemption covered under Phase I. Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) is in charge of implementing both phases of the NPDES Storm Water Program.
