Vol. 27, No. 2 ● March 7, 2019
In This Issue
Construction Stormwater Changes on the Horizon in Virginia
The new Construction General Permit for stormwater discharges starts July 1, 2019
The current Construction General Permit for Stormwater Discharges will expire on June 30, 2019. Any projects continuing land disturbance beyond that date must submit a Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (VPDES) Registration Statement 60 days prior to expiration. We anticipate that the new Construction General Permit will be approved by the State Water Control Board this spring, so there will be a short window for renewals. Wetland Studies and Solutions can help. Contact us today so we can help you submit your Registration Statement prior to the May 1 deadline.
WOTUS, WOTUS, Everywhere… or Not?
The proposed WOTUS definition excludes ephemeral streams like this one.
On February 14, 2019, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineering (Corps) issued a new Proposed Definition of Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS). You’re probably thinking, “wait a minute, didn’t we just do this?” You are correct! The previous administration issued a new definition of WOTUS in 2015 that went into effect in 26 different states last year, including Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C. While the 2015 Rule expanded the definition of WOTUS, the 2019 proposed rule reduces the amount of wetlands and streams that are considered jurisdictional at a federal level.