MN Special Waters List

MN SWPPP

MN Concrete Washout Guidance - EPA

MN Site Stabilization Guidance

MN NPDES and SDS Fact Sheet

MN Notice of Termination Form

MN Homeowner Fact Sheet

MN Notice of Termination Online

MN Transfer Form

MN Stormwater Compliance Assistance Toolkit for Small Construction Operators

MN Impaired Waters and TMDLs List

MN Owner Responsibilities

MN MPCA Stormwater Construction Inspector Field Guide

MN Common Plan of Development

MN MPCA Buffer Zone Fact Sheet

MN DOT Slope Stabilization Guide

MN Subdivision Registration Form

MN MPCA Watershed Project Managers Map

MN Construction Stormwater Inspection Checklist

MN MPCA List of Watershed Project Managers

MN Construction SWPPP Template

MN MPCA Perimeter Control Fact Sheet

MN Permit Transferring and Modification and Termination Guidance

MN Reporting Construction Site Stormwater Discharges

MN SWPPP Checklist

MN Top 5 Construction Stormwater Permit Violations

MN 10 Steps to Stormwater Pollution Prevention on Small Residential Sites

MN Construction Stormwater Permit Overview

MN Getting Started with MPCA e-Services

MN Permit Modification Form

MN MPCA Permit Training Requirements

MN MPCA Construction Stormwater General Permit (CGP)

MN Construction Stormwater General Permit Definitions

MN Perimeter Control BMP

MN Constructing Infiltration Systems BMP Guide

MN Concrete, Paint and Stucco Washout Guidance

MN Vehicle Tracking Guidance

MN Buffer BMP Guidance

MN Stormwater Inlet Protection Guidance

MN Technical Support for Post-Construction Stormwater Management

MN Linear Permanent Stormwater Management Design Flow Chart

MN Industrial Stormwater Change Form

MN Industrial Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP)

MN Industrial Stormwater Notice of Termination Form

MN Combined Industrial Stormwater Multi-Sector General Permit andNo Exposure Certification Application

MN MPCA State Map

MN Manufacturers - Stormwater No Exposure Brochure

MN Industrial Stormwater General Permit Application Instructions

MN NPDES General Permit for Industrial Stormwater Multi-Sector (ISW)

MN Solid Waste Facilities - A Guide to MN Industrial Stormwater Permit

MN No Exposure Qualifying For and Maintaining the Exclusion

MN Municipally-Owned and Operated Industrial Activities

MN Is My Facility Required to Obtain Industrial Stormwater General Permit

MN Industrial Stormwater Multi-Sector General Permit FAQs

MN Industrial Stormwater BMP Guidebook

MN Industrial Stormwater BMP Guidebook (Ch 4-5)

MN Guidance on the Industrial Stormwater Permit for Air Transportation Sector

MN Guidance on Industrial Stormwater Permit for Transportation Sectors

Minnesota Stormwater Permit Application Process

All owners or operators seeking coverage for the discharging of stormwater related to construction activities within the State of Minnesota are required to receive authorization under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System/State Disposal System (NPDES/SDS) General Permit for Construction Activity. To do so, a complete and accurate application form and appropriate fee per project size must be submitted to the Minnesota Pollutent Control Agency (MPCA).

Additionally, a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) including all necessary calculations for the “Permanent Stormwater Management System” must be submitted with the application to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) by paper method or online. 

*Note: “Permanent Stormwater Management System” calculations refer to a situation where a project’s ultimate development replaces pervious or vegetated surfaces with one (1) or more acres of impervious surfaces. Should this occur, a Water Quality Volume of half (½) an inch of discharge produced from the new impervious surfaces created by the project must be treated by an appropriate pollutant elimination measure.

 Permit coverage will become effective seven (7) days after the postmarked date of the completed application form. Electronic applications receive permit coverage two (2) days after the date of submittal. Applications must be submitted at least thirty days (30) days in advance to any land disturbing activity for construction projects of fifty (50) acres or more. Any owner or operator commencing construction activities prior to receiving permit authorization is in direct violation of the Clean Water Act (CWA) and Minnesota permit coverage standards. 

Minnesota Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan Requirements 

A Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) must be developed by the owner or operator of the construction site prior to submitting a permit application or conducting any construction activity. The plan should be a combination of narratives, plan sheets, and detail sheets that address all potential conditions or situations that may occur during any stage of construction or post construction activities.

(1)   As part of the SWPPP, the owner or operator must identify a person with proven knowledge and experience on erosion prevention and sediment control Best Management Practices (BMPs) who will oversee the creation of the Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP). If different, the owner or operator must also identify all qualified individuals who will be held responsible for the long term operation and maintenance of the “Permanent Stormwater Management System.”

(2)   Accurate documentation of the training credentials for all individuals selected to create, implement, and monitor the SWPPP throughout construction duration should be included. Such individuals must meet the minimum training requirements set by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA).

*To learn more about Minnesota training requirements, visit the “Training Requirements” page for the State of Minnesota.

(3)   A mandatory site map describing the location of all land disturbing activities should include:

a.      Locations where all construction will be phased.

b.     Enter and exit points for vehicles.

c.      Estimated preliminary land area to be disturbed.

d.      All surface waters and existing wetlands (specifically if surface water is impaired).

e.     Dividing lines and all pre and post-construction stormwater runoff drainage locations.

f.       Locations not to be disturbed and corresponding buffer zones.

g.       All impervious surfaces for pre and post-construction area.

h.     Locations and specifications of temporary and permanent erosion prevention methods and sediment control Best Management Practices (BMPs) that will be used to keep the site within permit compliance.

(4)   Descriptions for all methods that will be implemented to achieve final stabilization to all exposed areas of the construction site is required.

(5)   Maintenance/ Inspection schedules and details should be documented in the SWPPP

*Note: The individual responsible for enforcing the criteria of the SWPPP must also amend the SWPPP as necessary to include additional requirements, inspection results, maintenance records, and any corrective actions that may be implemented.

All owners and operators are held responsible for implementing the details outlined in their Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP). Best Managament Practices (BMPs) should be selected, installed, and maintained in compliance with the standards of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA). At any point after permit coverage has been authorized, the MPCA holds the right to determine that a project’s stormwater discharge has the potential to cause or contribute to a decline in the acceptable Water Quality Standards of Minnesota. In response, owners or operators are required to develop supplemental Best Management Practices (BMPs) and modify the Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) accordingly. 

Minnesota Construction Stormwater Inspection Frequency

As mandated by the conditions of the Minnesota National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System/ State Disposal System (NPDES/SDS) general permit for stormwater discharges associated with construction activities, routine inspections and maintenance are mandatory. The owner or operator (whoever is identified in the Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP)) must inspect the entire construction site at least once every seven (7) days throughout the duration of all land disturbing activities. Construction sites should also be inspected within twenty-four (24) hours of a storm event accumulating 0.5 inches of rain or more.

On parts of the construction site where a permanent cover has been established, but construction activity remains on other parts of the site, inspection schedules can be reduced to once (1) a month. Where a permanent cover has been established on all exposed areas of the site and land disturbing activity has ceased, inspections should continue for a period of twelve (12) months from the date of cessation, and can then be terminated.

The individual responsible for maintaining site compliance must investigate all erosion prevention and sediment control Best Management Practices (BMPs) to ensure integrity and effectiveness.  The following should be inspected:

a.     Site entrance and exit locations should be inspected for vehicle tracking onto impervious, external surfaces.

b.     Silt fences should be repaired or replaced when they become non-functional or the sediment reaches one/third (1/3) the height of the fence.

c.      Temporary and permanent sediment basins must be drained and the sediment removed.

d.     Surface waters should be inspected for evidence of erosion or sediment collection. If erosion prevention and sediment control measures prove to be ineffective in protecting the quality of runoff being discharged into site surface waters, modifications and pollutant removal must be made within seven (7) days.

Following all site inspections or required maintenance actions, documentation of the inspection and modifications to the SWPPP are required. Records of each inspection and maintenance activity should contain (1) the date and time of inspection; (2) inspectors name (s) and contact information; (3) all site findings and correlating corrective actions if necessary; (4) dates and plans to implement recommended corrective actions; and (5) the date and amount of rainfall events accumulating 0.5 inches or more and within twenty-four (24) hours of inspection.

Owners or operators have an obligation to plan for and implement appropriate construction practices that minimize erosion and sedimentation. However, If corrective actions need to be taken in response to ineffective erosion control and sediment Best Management Practices (BMPs), repairs or replacements must occur within twenty-four (24) hours of discovery, or as soon as site conditions allow for it. 

Minnesota Construction Stormwater - Credential Requirements

As authorized by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), owners and operators shall ensure that individuals selected to create, implement, and monitor the Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP), as well as the individuals who will be conducting inspections, be trained by local, State, Federal, or professional agencies/organizations with expertise in erosion prevention and sediment Best Management Practices (BMPs) for stormwater management.

Individuals should be trained according to the specifics of their job scope and responsibilities on the construction site. The Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) must contain documentation of training for all necessary individuals prior to the beginning of any construction activity. Documentation of training should be recorded as follows: (1) names of individuals associated with a project that require training; (2) dates of training and the name(s) of instructor(s) or organization(s) providing the training; and (3) the training content or overview including course length.   

*Note: If for some reason a trained and qualified individual is not present or available for an on-site inspection, one must be available with seventy-two (72) hours of a request from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA).

Minnesota Final Stabilization for Construction Activities

In order for a construction project site to be considered complete, final stabilization must be achieved on all disturbed areas of land within the site. Final stabilization means that all major construction activities have ceased and all disturbed soils have been alleviated by a uniform perennial vegetative cover with a density of at least seventy percent (70%) of all pervious surface areas.

 Prior to reaching final stabilization compliance, all temporary structural erosion prevention and sediment control Best Management Practices (BMPs) must be removed and final stabilization should be initiated as soon as practicable, but not later than fourteen (14) days from the date that construction has temporarily or permanently ceased. The owner or operator must ensure that the “Permanent Stormwater Treatment System” meets all permit requirements to establish final stabilization as well:

·       This includes a final clean out of all temporary or permanent sedimentation basins that are to be utilized as permanent water quality management basins.

·       The construction or maintenance of infiltration basins as needed.

·       All sediment should be removed from conveyance systems and ditches should be stabilized with a permanent cover.

*Note: An owner or operator my terminate permit coverage prior to the completion of all construction activity only when (1) all land disturbing activity has ceased for a minimum of ninety (90) days; (2) at least ninety percent (90%) of proposed construction area is complete and a permanent cover has been implemented; and (3) a vegetative cover has been established on the ten percent (10%) of the site that is not yet completed. 

Minnesota Stormwater Permit Termination Process - Notice of Termination (NOT)

To terminate permit coverage within the State of Minnesota, an owner or operator must submit a Notice of Termination (NOT) to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA). Permit compliance is required until the Notice of Termination is submitted. If the MPCA accepts the Notice of Termination (NOT), permit coverage will end at midnight on the date the NOT is submitted.

For termination of an entire construction site, an owner or operator must submit the Notice of Termination (NOT) within thirty (30) days after final stabilization has been achieved on all portions of the site. For termination of a portion of the construction site, an owner or operator must submit the Notice of Termination (NOT) within seven (7) days of reaching final stabilization, selling, or legally transferring that portion of the site.

Owners and operators must keep all documentation and records required under the Minnesota construction general permit guidelines. The authorization of permit coverage, the Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP), calculations of the temporary and permanent stormwater management system, and inspection and maintenance records should be kept in either the field office or in an on-site vehicle. Even after the Notice of Termination has been submitted, all records and documentation must be kept for a minimum of three (3) years from the date the NOT is submitted. 

MN Alum or Ferric Chloride Phosphorus Treatment System Form

MN Part 2 Application for MS4 General Stormwater Permit (SWPPP)

MN Guidance for MS4 TMDL Requirements

MN Reissuance of General NPDES Permit for MS4s

MN Model Ordinance - Shoreland Management

MN Wildlife Friendly Erosion Control

MN Stormwater and Wetlands Planning and Evaluation Guide

MN MS4 Stormwater Program Overview

MN MS4 Permit TMDL Spreadsheet

MN MS4 Managing Stormwater Sediment BMP Guidance for Municipalities

MN MS4 Inspection and Recordkeeping

MN MPCA Model Stormwater Ordinances

MN Model Subdivision Ordinance

MN Model Stormwater Ordinance

MN Model Ordinance - Erosion and Sediment Control

MN Introduction to Model Stormwater Ordinances

MN Guidance Document - Use of MS4 Mapping Tool

MN Erosion Control Handbook for Local Roads

MN Assessing and Listing Impaired Waters

MN Phase II MS4 Audit Checklist

MN MS4 SWPPP Pollution Prevention Guidance

Great Lakes
Brian Bell
Email Brian »
(312) 886-0981
US EPA, Region 05
WN16J77 W. Jackson Blvd
Chicago, IL, 60604-3507