Colorado Statewide Rule
Colorado Construction Stormwater & Erosion Control Permit (CDPS COR400000)
Key Facts
- Statute
- C.R.S. § 25-8-501
- Permit
- CDPS general permit COR400000
- Threshold
- One acre or more disturbed
- Agency
- CDPHE Water Quality Control Division
- Max penalty
- $54,833 per day per violation
Summary
Under C.R.S. § 25-8-501, any construction site disturbing one acre or more must obtain a CDPS stormwater discharge permit (COR400000) from Colorado's Water Quality Control Division and put erosion and sediment controls in place before ground disturbance begins.
No person shall discharge any pollutant into any state water from a point source without first having obtained a permit from the division for such discharge, and no person shall discharge into a ditch or man-made conveyance for the purpose of evading the requirement to obtain a permit under this article.
Full Breakdown
Colorado's Water Quality Control Act bars discharging any pollutant, including sediment-laden construction runoff, into state waters from a point source without a permit. Sites that disturb one acre or more, or that are part of a larger common plan of development reaching one acre, must secure coverage under general construction permit COR400000 and prepare a Stormwater Management Plan detailing erosion and sediment best management practices such as silt fence, sediment basins, stabilized entrances, and inlet protection. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment's Water Quality Control Division administers, inspects, and enforces the permit; the Water Quality Control Commission sets the rules.
Violations & Penalties
Discharging without a permit or failing to control erosion exposes violators to civil penalties up to $54,833 per day per violation under C.R.S. § 25-8-608, plus cease-and-desist and clean-up orders.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does my Colorado construction site need a stormwater permit?
Who enforces construction stormwater and erosion rules in Colorado?
Sources
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