Wisconsin Legislature: Chapter NR 152 Appendix A

(21) “ Runoff” means storm water or precipitation including rain, snow, or ice melt or similar water that moves on the land surface via sheet or channelized flow.

(22) “ Sediment” means settleable solid material that is transported by runoff, suspended within runoff, or deposited by runoff away from its original location.

(23) "Silviculture activity" means activities including tree nursery operations, tree harvesting operations, reforestation, tree thinning, prescribed burning, and pest and fire control. Clearing and grubbing of an area of a construction site is not a “silviculture activity.”

(24) “ Site” means the entire area included in the legal description of the land on which the land disturbing construction activity is proposed in the permit application.

(25) “ Stop work order” means an order issued by the [administering authority] that requires that all construction activity on the site be stopped.

(26) “ Technical standard” means a document that specifies design, predicted performance, and operation and maintenance specifications for a material, device, or method.

(27) “ Transportation facility” means a highway, a railroad, a public mass transit facility, a public-use airport, a public trail, or any other public work for transportation purposes, such as harbor improvements under s. 85.095 (1) (b), Wis. Stats. “Transportation facility” does not include building sites for the construction of public buildings and buildings that are places of employment that are regulated by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources pursuant to s. 281.33, Wis. Stats.

(28) “ Waters of the state” includes those portions of Lake Michigan and Lake Superior within the boundaries of this state, and all lakes, bays, rivers, streams, springs, ponds, wells, impounding reservoirs, marshes, watercourses, drainage systems, and other surface water or groundwater, natural or artificial, public or private, within this state or its jurisdiction.

(29) “ Wis. Adm. Code” means the Wisconsin Administrative Code, published under s. 35.93, Wis. Stats.

(30) “ Wis. Stats.” means the Wisconsin Statutes published under s. 35.18 of the Wisconsin Statutes.

S. 055 APPLICABILITY OF MAXIMUM EXTENT PRACTICABLE.

Maximum extent practicable applies when a person who is subject to a performance standard of this ordinance demonstrates to the [administering authority]'s satisfaction that a performance standard is not achievable and that a lower level of performance is appropriate. In making the assertion that a performance standard is not achievable and that a level of performance different from the performance standard is the maximum extent practicable, the responsible party shall take into account the best available technology, cost effectiveness, geographic features, and other competing interests such as protection of public safety and welfare, protection of endangered and threatened resources, and preservation of historic properties.

S. 06 TECHNICAL STANDARDS.

All BMPs required for compliance with this ordinance shall meet design criteria, standards, and specifications based on any of the following:

(1) Design guidance and technical standards identified or developed by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources under subch. V of ch. NR 151, Wis. Adm. Code.

(2) Soil loss prediction tools (such as the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE)) when using an appropriate rainfall or runoff factor (also referred to as the R factor) or an appropriate design storm and precipitation distribution, and when considering the geographic location of the site and the period of disturbance.

Note to Users: The USLE and its successors RUSLE and RUSLE2, utilize an R factor that has been developed to estimate annual soil erosion, averaged over extended time periods. The R factor can be modified to estimate monthly and single-storm erosion.

(3) Technical standards and methods approved by the [administering authority].

Note to Users: The following section, S. 07, “Performance Standards for Construction Sites Under One Acre,” is optional.

S. 07 PERFORMANCE STANDARDS FOR CONSTRUCTION SITES UNDER ONE ACRE.

(1) RESPONSIBLE PARTY. The responsible party shall comply with this section.

(2) EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL PRACTICES. Erosion and sediment control practices at each site where land disturbing construction activity is to occur shall be used to prevent or reduce all of the following:

(a) The deposition of soil from being tracked onto streets by vehicles.

(b) The discharge of sediment from disturbed areas into on-site storm water inlets.

(d) The discharge of sediment from drainage ways that flow off the site.

(e) The discharge of sediment by dewatering activities.

(f) The discharge of sediment eroding from soil stockpiles existing for more than 7 days.

(g) The transport by runoff into waters of the state of chemicals, cement, and other building compounds and materials on the construction site during the construction period. However, projects that require the placement of these materials in waters of the state, such as constructing bridge footings or BMP installations, are not prohibited by this subdivision.

(3) LOCATION. The BMPs shall be located so that treatment occurs before runoff enters waters of the state.

(4) IMPLEMENTATION. The BMPs used to comply with this section shall be implemented as follows:

(a) Erosion and sediment control practices shall be constructed or installed before land disturbing construction activities begin.

(b) Erosion and sediment control practices shall be maintained until final stabilization.

(c) Final stabilization activity shall commence when land disturbing activities cease and final grade has been reached on any portion of the site.

(d) Temporary stabilization activity shall commence when land disturbing activities have temporarily ceased and will not resume for a period exceeding 14 calendar days.

(e) BMPs that are no longer necessary for erosion and sediment control shall be removed by the responsible party.

S. 08* PERFORMANCE STANDARDS FOR CONSTRUCTION SITES OF ONE ACRE OR MORE.

(1) RESPONSIBLE PARTY. The responsible party shall comply with this section and implement the erosion and sediment control plan developed in accordance with S. 10*.

(2) EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL PLAN. A written site-specific erosion and sediment control plan shall be developed in accordance with S. 10* of this ordinance and implemented for each construction site.

Note to Users: The written plan may be that specified within s. NR 216.46, Wis. Adm. Code, the erosion and sediment control portion of a construction plan or other plan.

(3) EROSION AND OTHER POLLUTANT CONTROL REQUIREMENTS. The erosion and sediment control plan required under sub. (2) shall include all of the following:

(a) EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL PRACTICES. Erosion and sediment control practices at each site where land disturbing construction activity is to occur shall be used to prevent or reduce all of the following:

1. The deposition of soil from being tracked onto streets by vehicles.

2. The discharge of sediment from disturbed areas into on-site storm water inlets.

3. The discharge of sediment from disturbed areas into adjacent waters of the state.

4. The discharge of sediment from drainage ways that flow off the site.

5. The discharge of sediment by dewatering activities.

6. The discharge of sediment eroding from soil stockpiles existing for more than 7 days.

7. The discharge of sediment from erosive flows at outlets and in downstream channels.

8. The transport by runoff into waters of the state of chemicals, cement, and other building compounds and materials on the construction site during the construction period. However, projects that require the placement of these materials in waters of the state, such as constructing bridge footings or BMP installations, are not prohibited by this subdivision.

9. The transport by runoff into waters of the state of untreated wash water from vehicle and wheel washing.

(b) SEDIMENT PERFORMANCE STANDARDS. In addition to the erosion and sediment control practices under par. (a), the following erosion and sediment control practices shall be employed:

1. BMPs that, by design, discharge no more than 5 tons per acre per year, or to the maximum extent practicable, of the sediment load carried in runoff from initial grading to final stabilization.

2. No person shall be required to employ more BMPs than are needed to meet a performance standard in order to comply with maximum extent practicable. Erosion and sediment control BMPs may be combined to meet the requirements of this paragraph. Credit may be given toward meeting the sediment performance standard of this paragraph for limiting the duration or area, or both, of land disturbing construction activity, or for other appropriate mechanisms.

3. Notwithstanding subd. 1., if BMPs cannot be designed and implemented to meet the sediment performance standard, the erosion and sediment control plan shall include a written, site-specific explanation of why the sediment performance standard cannot be met and how the sediment load will be reduced to the maximum extent practicable.

1. Maintenance of existing vegetation, especially adjacent to surface waters whenever possible.

2. Minimization of soil compaction and preservation of topsoil.

3. Minimization of land disturbing construction activity on slopes of 20 percent or more.

4. Development of spill prevention and response procedures.

(d) LOCATION. The BMPs used to comply with this section shall be located so that treatment occurs before runoff enters waters of the state.

Note to Users: While regional treatment facilities are appropriate for control of post-construction pollutants, they should not be used for construction site sediment removal.

(4) IMPLEMENTATION. The BMPs used to comply with this section shall be implemented as follows:

(a) Erosion and sediment control practices shall be constructed or installed before land disturbing construction activities begin in accordance with the erosion and sediment control plan developed in S. 08* (2).

(b) Erosion and sediment control practices shall be maintained until final stabilization.

(c) Final stabilization activity shall commence when land disturbing activities cease and final grade has been reached on any portion of the site.

(d) Temporary stabilization activity shall commence when land disturbing activities have temporarily ceased and will not resume for a period exceeding 14 calendar days.

(e) BMPs that are no longer necessary for erosion and sediment control shall be removed by the responsible party.

S. 09* PERMITTING REQUIREMENTS, PROCEDURES, AND FEES.

(1) PERMIT REQUIRED. No responsible party may commence a land disturbing construction activity subject to this ordinance without receiving prior approval of an erosion and sediment control plan for the site and a permit from the [administering authority].

(2) PERMIT APPLICATION AND FEES. The responsible party that will undertake a land disturbing construction activity subject to this ordinance shall submit an application for a permit and an erosion and sediment control plan that meets the requirements of S. 10*, and shall pay an application fee to the [administering authority] in the amount specified in S. 11*. By submitting an application, the applicant is authorizing the [administering authority] to enter the site to obtain information required for the review of the erosion and sediment control plan.

(3) PERMIT APPLICATION REVIEW AND APPROVAL. The [administering authority] shall review any permit application that is submitted with an erosion and sediment control plan and the required fee. All of the following approval procedure shall be used:

(a) Within [number] business days of the receipt of a complete permit application, as required by sub. (2), the [administering authority] shall inform the applicant whether the application and erosion and sediment control plan are approved or disapproved based on the requirements of this ordinance.

(b) If the permit application and erosion and sediment control plan are approved, the [administering authority] shall issue the permit.

(c) If the permit application or erosion and sediment control plan is disapproved, the [administering authority] shall state in writing the reasons for disapproval.

(d) The [administering authority] may request additional information from the applicant. If additional information is submitted, the [administering authority] shall have [number] business days from the date the additional information is received to inform the applicant that the erosion and sediment control plan is either approved or disapproved.

(e) Failure by the [administering authority] to inform the permit applicant of a decision within [number] business days of a required submittal shall be deemed to mean approval of the submittal and the applicant may proceed as if a permit had been issued.

(4) SURETY BOND. As a condition of approval and issuance of the permit, the [administering authority] may require the applicant to deposit a surety bond or irrevocable letter of credit to guarantee a good faith execution of the approved erosion and sediment control plan and any permit conditions.

(5) PERMIT REQUIREMENTS. All permits shall require the responsible party to do all of the following:

(a) Notify the [administering authority] within 48 hours of commencing any land disturbing construction activity.

(b) Notify the [administering authority] of completion of any BMPs within 14 days after their installation.

(c) Obtain permission in writing from the [administering authority] prior to any modification pursuant to S. 10* (3) of the erosion and sediment control plan.

(d) Install all BMPs as identified in the approved erosion and sediment control plan.

(e) Maintain all road drainage systems, storm water drainage systems, BMPs, and other facilities identified in the erosion and sediment control plan.

(f) Repair any siltation or erosion damage to adjoining surfaces and drainage ways resulting from land disturbing construction activities and document repairs in a site inspection log.

(g) Inspect the BMPs within 24 hours after each rain of 0.5 inches or more that results in runoff during active construction periods and at least once each week. Make needed repairs and install additional BMPs as necessary, and document these activities in an inspection log that also includes the date of inspection, the name of the person conducting the inspection, and a description of the present phase of the construction at the site.

(h) Allow the [administering authority] to enter the site for the purpose of inspecting compliance with the erosion and sediment control plan or for performing any work necessary to bring the site into compliance with the erosion and sediment control plan.

(i) Keep a copy of the erosion and sediment control plan at the construction site.

(6) PERMIT CONDITIONS. Permits issued under this section may include conditions established by [administering authority] in addition to the requirements set forth in sub. (5), when needed to assure compliance with the performance standards in S. 07* or S. 08*.