Why are land clearing and construction activities important?
Dirt, materials and trash from construction and/or land clearing activities can be washed into the City's drainage system. Remember, the drainage system is not a treatment system. These pollutants flow directly to local waterways where they can have a negative impact on water quality.
So, what's the solution?
The solution is to keep dirt and trash on your site by having an adequate plan and simple devices in place to contain runoff.
The City of Beaumont Watershed Protection Ordinance prohibits the discharge of pollutants to the City's storm drain system. In order to comply with the Watershed Protection Ordinance, if your site meets certain criteria, you may need to apply for a Grading Permit and possibly a (TPDES) Construction General Permit.
Grading Permit Requirements:
You must apply for and obtain a Grading Permit for any activity that will disturb more than 450 square feet of land, even if the activity is simple land clearing. (Exception: activities related to residential landscaping and gardening.)
The Texas Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (TPDES) Construction General Permit went into effect on March 5, 2003. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) is the permitting authority. The permit authorizes the discharge of stormwater associated with both large (greater than 5 acres) and small (greater than 1 acre but less than 5 acres) construction sites. The TPDES
Construction General Permit as well as other necessary documents are provided
below. Links to valuable information from TCEQ, EPA and other sources are also provided.