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Do I need permit coverage?

Permit coverage is required if your site meets one of the following:

  • A site that will disturb one or more acres of land; or
  • A site that will disturb less than one acre of land and is part of a common plan of development or sale that will ultimately disturb one or more acres of land (such as a home lot in a residential subdivision or outparcel related to a shopping center);
  • A site of any size whose discharges have a reasonable potential to cause/contribute to a water quality concern.


Permit coverage is not required for the following:

  • Animal feeding operation (AFO) or concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) construction activity has been granted NPDES registration coverage;
  • Normal agricultural; and
  • Silvicultural activities.


Permit coverage is not required for the following minor land disturbing activities:

  • Home gardens or individual home landscaping;
  • Home repairs and/or maintenance;
  • Fence installation or maintenance;
  • Directional boring, hand hole digging; and
  • Guardrail, shoulder, and minor improvements associated with roadway pavement resurfacing.

 

Lake Martin –Treasured Alabama Lake -Special Designation

Regarding land disturbance activities on Lake Martin, if your project is not one of the activities listed above as exempt from needing permit coverage, permit coverage will be required for your project even if your project will be less than one acre of disturbance, due to the special designation of Lake Martin.

Project Review

Are you still unsure if you need a permit? Is a city/county requesting you to contact ADEM about CSW permit coverage?

You can email cswmail@adem.alabama.gov a Project Review Request with the following information:

  • Site/parcel map (Please provide the area(s) to be disturbed, acreage, and property boundary).
  • Address or latitude/longitude coordinates of the project location.
  • Detailed description of the proposed site activity to take place at the project location.
  • Any additional information that you would like for us to review and/or consider.
  • If you are located within a municipality, and they have requested for you to contact ADEM regarding the potential need for NPDES permit coverage, please provide the name and contact details, including email address, so that we may include them on the permit determination correspondence.


You will receive a permitting determination via email generally within 2 –3 days. 
 

How do I obtain permit coverage?

  • Once your consultant has developed a CBMPP and you are ready for permit coverage a CSW NOI application should be submitted through our permitting system:
  • To submit a NOI, you will need the following:
    • Responsible Official Signature
    • Qualified Credentialed Professional (QCP) Signature
    • CBMPP prepared by a QCP
      • If the site is located in a priority watershed, the CBMPP is required to be included with the application
      • If the site is not located in a priority watershed, the CBMPP is not required to be included with the application
    • Topographic map that meets permit requirements.
    • A plat map if located within a common plan of development or subdivision.
    • An application fee of $1,385.00 will be required upon submission of an application.

 

  • Becoming a QCI will help you save time and money.
  • A permittee, operator, owner, LLC member, LLP partner, QCP, and/or a full-time employee of the permittee, operator, and/or owner, or QCP, are eligible to be a QCI.
  • You will learn about the construction stormwater permit, erosion and sediment control in order to complete your own inspections.
  • Please see the QCI Program page for more information.


Please refer to the AEPACS User Guide, CSW staff, or Web Portal for any issues regarding applications or your account in AEPACS.