On December 1, 2009, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a final rule in the Federal Register establishing non-numeric and, for the first time, numeric effluent limitation guidelines (ELGs) nationally on stormwater discharges from construction sites. Generally targeting real estate developers and other construction site operators that make up the Construction and Development (C&D) Point Source Category under 40 CFR 450, these effluent guidelines will impose regulatory controls to mitigate discharges of sediments and other pollutants from construction sites when the final rule takes effect on February 1, 2010.

As V&E previously reported, EPA published the proposed rule outlining technology-based effluent guidelines for C&D dischargers in the Federal Register on November 28, 2008. Effluent guidelines are national standards that apply to stormwater and wastewater discharges to surface and publicly owned treatment facilities. EPA effluent guidelines under Title III of the Clean Water Act control pollution from categories of existing and new sources. The prior federal effluent guidelines did not outline national performance standards or require monitoring for C&D dischargers. Read the entire article here.  

For more information, please contact Vinson & Elkins lawyers Larry Nettles, Sharon Mattox, Larry Pechacek, or Ted Bosquez. Visit our website to learn more about V&E's Environmental practice, or e-mail one of the V&E Environmental practice contacts.