Palm Beach County NPDES Program

Purpose: This web site has been authorized by the Palm Beach County MS4 NPDES (PBC NPDES) Steering Committee as a resource for all co-permittees within the county. It is intended that this site will provide the user with helpful information on understanding and complying with the requirements of the NPDES permit.



















Construction Site Runoff

The PBC MS4 NPDES permit includes requirements related to preventing and/or reducing pollutants in stormwater runoff from construction sites.

Please note that the co-permittees’ MS4 permit is not the same as the FDEP Generic Permit for Stormwater Discharge from Large and Small Construction Sites(GCP). The FDEP GCP is discussed below.

The PBC MS4 NPDES permit requirements related to construction site runoff include:
  • ordinances/codes requiring construction site planning approval and the use of structural and non-structural controls to prevent pollutants in construction site runoff
  • a SFWMD or FDEP permit before land clearing, if one is required
  • on-going evaluation of innovative structural and non-structural BMPs and new technologies
  • site inspections of construction projects to ensure compliance with co-permittee’s development requirements and to verify that the SWPPP is on site if one is required
  • an inspection log of all inspections conducted
  • use of a formalized inspection checklist for construction site inspections
  • annual training of all inspectors on proper building and construction stormwater management and erosion and sediment control BMPs AND on protocol for compliance
  • enforcement using notices of violation and/or stop work orders for those construction site operators which repeatedly fail to comply with approved erosion and sediment control BMPs
  • annual stormwater erosion and sediment control training program for construction site operators, engineers, and inspectors.
  • notification of building permit applicants of their responsibilities under the FDEP Generic Permit for Stormwater Discharge from Large and Small Construction

Some of the specific requirements may vary for special districts of the FDOT.

The annual stormwater erosion and sediment control training program for construction site operators, engineers, and inspectors is completed as a joint activity by the co-permittees. Information on the training for annual reporting purposes will be made available at the end of each reporting year.

A simple way to provide notification information to building permit applicants is to hand out the FDEP brochure about the permitting program for construction activity. The brochure can be viewed and downloaded at the FDEP’s website (see link below).

FDEP Generic Construction Permit

Effective May 1 2003, construction sites that will result in a disturbance of one acre or more, are required to seek coverage under the FDEP Generic Permit for Stormwater Discharge from Large and Small Construction Activities (CGP). (Operators of large construction projects who received coverage prior to May 1, 2003, should reference Florida's Generic Permit for Stormwater Discharge from Construction Activities that disturb 5 or more acres of land.)

It is the CGP that includes the requirement that a Notice of Intent (NOI) and Notice of Termination (NOT) be submitted to FDEP. It is also the CGP that requires completion of a stormwater pollution prevention plan (SWPPP).

For more information related to the CGP, try the following links:

If you have any questions, comments, or would like to update information contained on this website, please email mockroos@mockroos.com