Companies in the tank truck industry that are planning construction at their facilities will want to be aware of an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule proposal designed to control the discharge of pollutants from construction sites.
The EPA announced November 19 that if the proposal is enacted, it would require companies to implement a range of erosion and sediment control measures to control pollutants in stormwater discharges.
In addition, for certain large sites located in areas of the country with high rainfall intensity and soils with a high clay content, stormwater discharges from the construction site would be required to meet a numeric limit on the allowable level of turbidity, which is a measure of sediment in the water, according to EPA information.
The proposed rule is intended to work in concert with existing state and local programs, adding a technology-based floor that establishes minimum requirements that would apply nationally.
The proposed rule, if eventually established, would require all construction sites to implement a range of erosion and sediment control best management practices to reduce pollutants in stormwater discharges. Construction sites disturbing 10 or more acres at a time would also be required to install sediment basins to treat stormwater discharges.
In addition, if sites 30 acres or larger are located in areas of the country with high rainfall intensity and soils with a high clay content, their stormwater discharges would be required to meet a numeric limit on the allowable level of turbidity.
The turbidity limit is intended to remove fine-grained and slowly-settling or non-settleable particles contained in stormwater. Particles such as clays and fine silts contained in stormwater discharges from construction sites typically cannot be effectively removed by conventional stormwater best management practices (such as sediment basins). In order to meet the proposed numeric turbidity limit, many sites would need to use chemical treatment and filtration of their stormwater discharges, EPA said.