NPDES - Phase II
The Lorain County Stormwater Management Committee was formed December 2007 to implement NPDES-Phase II for Lorain County to be in compliance with Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) and the U.S. Clean Water Act of 1972.
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) is part of the requirements for the U.S. Clean Water Act of 1972, a structure for regulating discharges of pollutants into the waters of the United States. Under the Act, the EPA has implemented pollution control programs such as setting wastewater standards for industry and has set water quality standards for all contaminants in surface water, while the NPDES permit program controls discharges. The Lorain County Erosion and Sediment Control (ESC) Rules have been put in place to mirror the U.S. EPA's NPDES-Phase II stormwater regulations and keep the County in compliance with discharge requirements.
Erosion & Sediment Control
The Lorain County Board of Commissioners adapted the Erosion & Sediment Control (ESC) Rules in 2008, pursuant to Ohio Revised Code, Section 307.79.
The ESC Rules have been adopted to establish technically feasible and economically reasonable standards to achieve a level of management and conservation practices in order to abate soil erosion and degradation of the waters of the State by soil sediment on land used or being developed from non-agricultural commercial, industrial, residential, or other non-agricultural purposes to establish a criteria for determination of the acceptability of such management and conservation practices and/or best management practices (BMPs). These rules apply to soil disturbing activities on land within the unincorporated areas of Lorain County.
If your property is not located within a Common Plan of Development and the total soil disturbance of your project is less than one acre, you may not need to submit an Erosion and Sediment Control (ESC) Plan. However, you are still expected to follow all of Lorain County's Erosion and Sediment Control Rules.
The ESC Rules are intended to protect:
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Adjacent landowners from property loss due to sedimentation, erosion, and flooding.
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County and Township ditches, culverts, and storm sewers from loss of capacity due to siltation.
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Water and habitat quality in streams and wetland.
Which Permit Do I Need? If Your Project Is...
Abbreviated Erosion & Sediment Control Permit:
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Located within a residential subdivision that is currently being developed with an active ESC permit.
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Developing individual sub lots.
Erosion & Sediment Control (ESC) Permit:
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Located within an already developed subdivision & building a house.
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Lot Split was previously completed, creating 2 or more buildable parcels.
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Soil disturbance of 1 acre and greater.
Full Erosion & Sediment Control/ Comprehensive Storm Water Management Plan:
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Subdivisions, Commercial, or Industrial sites.
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Non-residential individual development sites.
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Multi-family development sites.
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A non-residential lot within a Common Plan of Development.
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Multi-family development within a Common Plan of Development.
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Soil disturbance of 1 acre and greater.
If your project does not appear to fit in any of these categories, please check with our office.
For questions regarding Lorain County's Erosion & Sediment Control Rules, please call 440-326-5800 or email Stormwater Specialist Jack Fisher at jfisher@loraincounty.us.