North Carolina State Overview

The State of North Carolina and the N.C. Division of Water Quality’s Stormwater Permitting Unit of the Wetlands and Stormwater Branch is responsible for the development, planning, and implementation of statewide stormwater control policies, strategies, and rules designed to protect the surface waters of North Carolina from impacts of stormwater pollutants and run-off volumes. This particular Division handles permitting for industrial, municipal, and post-construction (for development projects) stormwater programs, and also provides technical assistance to regulated community, engineers, industry, citizens, as well as local governments.  

As per the N.C. Division of Water Quality, all owners and operators of stormwater discharges associated with construction activities (clearing, grading or excavation activities) resulting in the disturbance of one (1) acre or greater of land, or is part of a common plan of development of that size, require a local- or state-approved Erosion and Sedimentation Control Plan (E&SC Plan) as well as coverage under Construction NPDES Stormwater General Permit. The project will be automatically covered by an NPDES Stormwater General Permit for construction-related activities, only if the ground stabilization and basin design requirements in that permit are included in the E&SC Plan.