ABSTRACT
For the environmental engineer involved with stormwater compliance programs, March 10, 2003, was a very significant date-the municipality deadline for compliance with new National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit applications for previously exempt municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s). The affected MS4s include federal-and state-regulated operations serving fewer than 100,000 people for areas that include military installations, prisons, hospitals, universities, and others. These operations are now required (since March 10, 2003) to comply with the Storm Water Phase II Rule, published December 8, 1999. State regulators may also subject certain other entities to regulations, such as municipally owned industrial sources, construction sites that disturb less than 1 acre, and other sources that contribute to a significant degradation of water quality.
