ABSTRACT
For the environmental practitioner involved with stormwater compliance programs, March 10, 2003, was a very significant date: It was the deadline for compliance with new National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit applications for municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s) that had previously been exempt, but after this date no longer are. The affected MS4s include federal and state regulated operators-serving less than 100,000 people-for areas such as military installations, prisons, hospitals, universities, and other, who are required, after March 10, 2003, to have complied with the Storm Water Phase II Rule, published December 8, 1999. Additionally, state regulators may subject certain other sources to regulations, such as municipally owned industrial sources, construction sites disturbing less than 1 acre, and sources that contribute to a significant degradation of water quality.
