Knoxville Stormwater Construction Permits

Civil Engineers in Knoxville and other regions of East Tennessee are well aware that stormwater management has become an increasingly important permitting component of land development projects. The Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation (TDEC) is the State Agency regulating stormwater discharges from construction sites.

So, who is required to get a permit? According to the TDEC website (http://www.tn.gov/environment/permits/conststrm.shtml#who):

Operators of construction sites involving clearing, grading or excavation that result in an area of disturbance of one or more acres, and activities that result in the disturbance of less than one acre if it is part of a larger common plan of development or sale.

What is required to be submitted?

Applicants must submit the following information:

» A completed and signed Notice of Intent (NOI) for Construction Activity – Stormwater Discharges (see link below). The NOI must include a map on 8 ½ inch by 11 inch paper with boundaries 1-2 miles outside the site property with the site and construction area outlined and the receiving water or receiving storm sewer highlighted and identified. It is preferable for this map to be the appropriate portion of a USGS 7.5-minute quadrangle map.

» A site-specific SWPPP (Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan) must be developed and submitted with the NOI. The SWPPP must be developed, implemented, and updated according to Part 3 of the CGP (Construction General Permit).

Completed Notices of Intent must be sent to the appropriate Environmental Field Office.

The City of Knoxville has been designated by TDEC as a “Qualified Local Program” (QLP). According to TDEC, the “main intent [of a QLP] is to eliminate the duplicative efforts of the current permitting process” by reducing the requirement to make submittals to local and state agencies.

The City of Knoxville has two good resources for additional information on stormwater permitting:

1. Land Development Manual, Chapter 5 – Permitting Requirements:   http://www.cityofknoxville.org/engineering/ldmanual/LDMCH05.pdf

2. BMP Manual, Chapter 6 – Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan: http://www.cityofknoxville.org/engineering/bmp_manual/BMPCH6.pdf

If you have questions about stormwater permitting for your project, contact LandTech using our website: http://landtechco.com/home

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