The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) March 6 issued a final rule on the Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards for the Construction and Development Point Source Category.  Under the final rule, which goes into effect May 5, EPA dropped the numeric discharge limit for turbidity in stormwater and implemented best practice management to prevent erosion at construction sites.

The final rule was issued in response to a 2010 settlement agreement which withdrew the numeric discharge limit from the existing 2009 Construction and Development Effluent Limitations Guidelines Rule.

The rule also makes several other revisions to the 2009 rule including the addition of a definition for “infeasible.” More information on the final rule is available in a fact sheet.