NPDES Construction Program

Why do storm water discharges from construction activities matter?

When it rains, storm water washes over the loose soil on a construction site, along with various materials and products being stored outside. As storm water flows over the site, it can pick up pollutants like sediment, debris, and chemicals from that loose soil and transport them to nearby storm sewer systems or directly into rivers, lakes, or coastal waters. EPA works with construction site operators to make sure they have the proper storm water controls in place so that construction can proceed in a way that protects your community’s clean water and the surrounding environment.

Who needs to get permit coverage?

In general, the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) requires permits for discharges from construction activities that disturb one or more acres, and discharges from smaller sites that are part of a larger common plan of development or sale. Developers and builders who fall into this category are required to obtain a permit from the State of Nebraska and develop an Erosion and Sediment Control (ESC) plan.

Storm Water Management Code

The purpose of the City’s Storm Water Management code (Chapter 42) is to provide for the health, safety, and general welfare of the citizens of Hastings, Nebraska through the regulation of non-storm water discharges to the storm sewer system to the maximum extent practicable as required by federal and state law. The code establishes methods for controlling the introduction of pollutants into the municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) in order to comply with requirements of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit process.

View the below documents for information on the ESC plan application requirements.