MS4 Stormwater Program Self-Auditing
The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality is required to audit 20% of MS4 permittees every year. If your stormwater management program has not been audited recently, it may be next. For many communities an audit could mean trouble. Not every stormwater management program is properly implemented and prepared. Whether your municipality has just received an insufficient mark or is scrambling to prepare for an audit, Woolpert can help by conducting self-audits. What is at stake? Permit violations prompt the EPA or state to file an enforcement action and seek penalties of up to $55,800 per violation per day.
The benefits of maintaining a compliant SWMP include:
- Environmental consideration
- Flexibility and freedom in allocating funds
- No fear of state or EPA check-ins
- Positive public perception
Self-Audit: Assurance
Self-audits can be conducted by the permit holder, a third party or by another MS4. Woolpert guides permit holders through self-audits prior to state audits to ensure programs meet NPDES specifications while maximizing limited resources. The first self-audit should be thorough, reviewing all permit aspects. This process can be streamlined in successive years as the program progresses.
Self-Audit: Restoration
Communities that do not maintain their SWMPs tend to generate greater EPA and state scrutiny, which garners negative publicity for their programs and their leadership. If an MS4 already has been found noncompliant, Woolpert can help to achieve and maintain compliance.
Consulting Capabilities
- Discovering and addressing deficiencies
- Preparing and implementing a plan to achieve and maintain compliance
- Running meetings to address difficult questions and prepare to support compliance
- Developing a strategy to meet best practices, taking into account previous audit results
- Implementing best practices before required by the state or EPA
- Preparing a long-term compliance plan
