5 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 2 cities in Albany County, New York.
Verified from official government sources
Albany County municipalities comply with NY DEC SPDES MS4 permit. New development over 1 acre requires stormwater pollution prevention plan (SWPPP). Green infrastructure encouraged.
SPDES General Permits (MSGP, MS4 GP, CGP) under ECL Article 17
Regulatory Requirements The USEPA and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) are increasing their attention in several ways. There are three State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) general permits required for activities associated stormwater discharges. The Multi-Sector General Permit for Stormwater Discharges Associated with Industrial Activities (MSGP) ...
Albany County enforces NYS DEC SPDES General Permit GP-0-20-001 for construction sites disturbing 1+ acre. Erosion and sediment control plans required, with extra protections for Hudson River and Normans Kill watershed drainage.
ECL Article 17 (Water Pollution Control); 6 NYCRR Part 750
SPDES Program Overview New York is rich in surface and groundwater resources. Article 17 titled "Water Pollution Control" of the 6 NYCRR PART 750 Environmental Conservation Law (ECL) was enacted to protect and maintain these valuable resources. Article 17 authorized creation of the State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) program to maintain New York's waters with reasonable standar...
Albany County has no ocean coastline but the Hudson River is a designated NYS coastal area under Executive Law Article 42. Waterfront development in Bethlehem, Coeymans, and the City of Albany triggers LWRP consistency review and tidal wetlands rules.
Albany County has significant FEMA-mapped floodplains along the Hudson River, Mohawk River, and Normans Kill. All riverfront municipalities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).
FEMA Flood Map Service Center, National Flood Insurance Program
Flood maps are one tool that communities use to know which areas have the highest risk of flooding. FEMA maintains and updates data through flood maps and risk assessments . Flood maps show how likely it is for an area to flood. Any place with a 1% chance or higher chance of experiencing a flood each year is considered to have a high risk. Those areas have at least a one-in-four chance of flood...
Albany County municipalities require grading permits for significant earthwork. Drainage cannot be redirected onto neighbors under NY common law (Kossoff v. Rathgeb-Walsh). Hudson River floodplain and Normans Kill drainage trigger extra review.
2 cities in Albany County have their own environmental rules rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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Albany County Ordinance Hub →