Mount Pleasant, SC Environmental Rules: Erosion Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 153.043 SWPPPs
- Enforcement section
- § 153.070
- Civil penalty
- Up to $500 per violation, per day
- Stop work admin fee
- $200
- Inspection frequency
- Every 7 or 14 days
- Sediment removal trigger
- 50% of design capacity
Summary
In the Town of Mount Pleasant, any construction project covered by a drainage plan must have a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) prepared by a licensed engineer that identifies erosion and sediment control measures. Those measures must stay in effective operating condition throughout construction, with site inspections at least every 7 or 14 days.
(F) Maintenance of controls. (1) All erosion and sediment control measures and other protective measures identified in the SWPPP must be maintained in effective operating condition. If site inspections identify BMPs that are not operating effectively, maintenance must be performed as soon as practical or as reasonably possible, and before the next storm event whenever practicable, to maintain the continued effectiveness of stormwater controls. ... (3) Sediment from sediment traps or sedimentation ponds must be removed as indicated in the SWPPP, or when the design capacity has been reduced by 50%, whichever occurs first.
Full Breakdown
043. Projects disturbing more than one acre need a SWPPP prepared, amended, certified and stamped by a qualified licensed individual. The plan must identify all potential pollution sources, describe practices to reduce pollutants in stormwater discharges, and include a legible site map showing drainage direction, slopes after grading, storage areas, surface waters and discharge points. Under subsection (D), the SWPPP must describe interim and permanent stabilization practices with a schedule, control measures to minimize off-site vehicle tracking of sediment onto paved surfaces, and measures addressing dust generation.
Subsection (F) requires that all erosion and sediment control measures identified in the SWPPP be maintained in effective operating condition; if inspections find a BMP not working, maintenance must happen as soon as practical and before the next storm event whenever practicable. Sediment must be removed from traps or ponds when design capacity is reduced by 50% or as the SWPPP specifies, whichever comes first. Subsection (I) sets inspection frequency at least once every 7 calendar days, or once every 14 days plus within 24 hours after a storm of a half-inch or more, dropping to monthly once a site is temporarily stabilized; inspections must be run by qualified personnel meeting DHEC-recognized training or certification. 070.
Violations & Fines
Violating any provision of Chapter 153, including the erosion and sediment control requirements of § 153.043, carries a civil penalty of not more than $500 per violation, with each day counted as a new separate violation. Written notice of a violation issues within 15 days and states the nature of the violation, proposed penalty, and correction period. The town can also impose a stop work order with a $200 administrative fee, suspend or revoke a site clearing and grading permit, or pursue injunctive relief and criminal misdemeanor prosecution in magistrate's court for negligent, willful or intentional violations.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Mount Pleasant
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Erosion Control in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Charleston County handle erosion control.