Jackson, TN Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing permit
- TDEC general stormwater permit
- Individual permit trigger
- Only after a violation is found
- Daily penalty range
- $50 to $5,000 per day
- Alternative recovery
- $450/day or actual damages, whichever less
- Appeal body
- Environmental advisory/appeals board, 30-day window
Summary
In the City of Jackson, Tennessee, stormwater discharges are covered under a permit the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation issues citywide, and the city only requires an individual special stormwater permit from a discharger the city engineer finds in violation, under Jackson Municipal Code § 14-603. The rule implements the city's NPDES Phase 2 illicit-discharge program.
Stormwater discharges in the City of Jackson will be covered under a permit issued by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation ("TDEC"). The city will not require individual permits for stormwater discharges except for those dischargers found to be in violation of this chapter, by the city engineer or his designee. Those found to be in violation may be required to apply for a special stormwater permit issued by TDEC.
Full Breakdown
Jackson's stormwater program grew out of the 1987 Clean Water Act amendments that created the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, and the federal NPDES Phase 2 rules require municipalities like Jackson to prohibit illicit discharges into the municipal storm sewer system. Rather than making every property owner obtain an individual discharge permit, § 14-603 covers stormwater discharges citywide under a general permit issued by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, TDEC. The city engineer or a designee only steps in with an individual requirement when a discharger is found in violation of the stormwater chapter; that discharger may then be required to apply for a special stormwater permit issued directly by TDEC.
The city engineer promulgates the detailed rules and regulations for illicit discharges and dumping, and those rules must go to the Jackson-Madison County Regional Planning Commission for review and approval, and align with the EPA's NPDES Phase 2 program, under § 14-604. A property owner who receives a cease-and-desist order or a special-permit requirement from the city engineer can appeal to the environmental advisory/appeals board within 30 days of the decision under § 14-606, and the board can vary the requirement where strict enforcement would cause manifest injustice under § 14-607.
Violations & Fines
Discharging illicit or improper materials into the city's storm sewers requires the offender to obtain a special connection permit and exposes them to the lesser of $450 per day in damages or actual damages the city incurs, plus a civil penalty of $50 to $5,000 per day the violation continues, under § 14-605. The city may also seek an injunction to stop ongoing violations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who issues Jackson's stormwater discharge permit?
What triggers an individual stormwater permit requirement in Jackson?
What penalties apply for illicit stormwater discharges?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Jackson
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