Scranton, PA Environmental Rules: Erosion Control (2026)

Part 3 of Chapter 405, cited as the 'City of Scranton Stormwater Management Ordinance,' governs every regulated earth-disturbance activity in the city, from single-lot construction to multi-phase subdivisions. Section 405-25(D) requires erosion and sediment control BMPs to be designed, implemented, operated and maintained throughout construction, meeting both Pennsylvania Code Title 25 and the Clean Streams Law, with design standards drawn from DEP's Erosion and Sediment Pollution Control Program Manual (No. 363-2134-008). Before any regulated activity can begin, the developer must obtain the City's written approval of a stormwater management (SWM) site plan under § 405-25(A), and that approved plan must stay on site for the duration of construction under § 405-25(B).

Section 405-26(A)(1) exempts activities that create less than 5,000 square feet of new impervious area or disturb less than 5,000 square feet from the SWM site plan and peak-rate-control requirements, but § 405-26(B) makes clear that exemption never excuses compliance with the erosion and sedimentation pollution control duties in § 405-25(E) through (L). The City inspects sites for compliance under § 405-46(C), and if BMPs are eliminated, altered or improperly maintained, § 405-46(D) lets the City order corrective work and back-charge the property owner if the owner fails to act.

Non-compliant permits can be suspended or revoked under § 405-47, and § 405-47(D) gives owners written notice and a set correction window before revocation. Appeals of any City decision go first to the City Planning Commission within 30 days under § 405-49(A), and from there to the Lackawanna County Court of Common Pleas within another 30 days under § 405-49(C).