Specific categories of industrial facilities are required to develop a Best Management Practice plan for preventing storm water pollution. These categories are 1.) High Risk Facilities (including hazardous waste treatment, storage and disposal facilities, and municipal waste landfills and processing facilities), facilities subject to SARA §313, and facilities which have significant materials exposed to storm water.

Why is the City involved in controlling storm water quality? 

EPA storm water regulations require municipalities with over 100,000 people to develop a storm water management program and obtain an NPDES permit. ADEM issued the City of Huntsville an NPDES permit for its storm water discharges in 1996. The EPA regulations require municipalities to establish specific legal authorities (see 40 CFR 122.26(d)(2)(I)), and the NPDES permit issued by ADEM required Huntsville to establish such authority by March 1, 1998.

How will the City program avoid duplication or conflict with ADEM's storm water regulations.?

Compliance with an NPDES industrial storm water discharge permit is deemed compliance with the City's ordinance. Furthermore, Natural Resources would is not allowed to take enforcement action for the same violation already addressed by an ADEM enforcement action.

* For those facilities which are required to develop a BMP plan, and have already developed a Contingency Plan, an SPCC Plan, a TTO Management Plan, or a BMP Plan, this plan may satisfy the ordinance requirement (provided it addresses prevention of releases to the storm sewer system).

The ordinance was adopted by the City Council on February 12, 1998, and became effective February 20, 1998. For additional information or to obtain a copy of the ordinance contact Daniel Shea at 427-5750.