New green infrastructure rules, adopted last year, become effective Tuesday, March 2. Municipalities and the DEP will begin the implementation of the rules to manage stormwater runoff generated by development across the state.
As a reminder, new green infrastructure rules, adopted last year, become effective Tuesday, March 2. Municipalities and the Department of Environmental Protection will begin the implementation of the rules to manage stormwater runoff generated by development across the state. The rules require all applicants of residential and non-residential projects to use green infrastructure, rather than more traditional engineered structures, to reduce stormwater discharge and runoff and to achieve water quality goals.
Any complete application for residential development received by a municipality before March 2, 2021 will be reviewed under the existing Stormwater Management rules. Any application received after this date or determined to be incomplete as of that date will be reviewed under the newly effective rules.
Non-residential applications will be reviewed for compliance with the local stormwater control ordinance, which is required under a municipality’s Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit. The MS4 permit requires that this ordinance be at least as stringent as the DEP’s Stormwater Management rules. The DEP required municipalities to revise their stormwater ordinances and make them effective no later than March 3, 2021.
Any complete application for a non-residential development received by a municipality before the effective date of their new ordinance will be reviewed under the existing ordinance. Any project applications received after this date or determined to be incomplete will be reviewed under the amended ordinance.