The National Association of Home Builders, the Utility Water Act Group, the Wisconsin Builders Association and the Environmental Protection Agency have reached a settlement in the industry groups' long-running lawsuit over the agency's 2009 rules to control the discharge of pollutants from construction sites. The agreement should allow contractors to breathe a collective sigh of relief, construction officials say.
In December 2009, under court order, the agency finalized effluent limitation guidelines (ELGs) for the construction and development industry to establish the minimum technology required to control the impact of stormwater runoff. EPA established both numeric limits and best management practices, such as silt fences, for certain active construction sites.