Contractors will have greater flexibility in controlling stormwater discharges from construction sites under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's new revisions to its effluent guidelines.
The final rule, to take effect on May 5, addresses concerns industry groups have had with the rule since it was implemented in 2009, especially its numeric discharge limit of 280 nephelometric turbidity units for construction sites in which 20 or more acres are disturbed at one time.