The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) encourages the use of green infrastructure to manage stormwater discharges. While local codes, stormwater utilities, and other innovative financing mechanisms often create standards and incentives for green infrastructure, regulatory drivers such as permits can also provide an effective foundation for consistent implementation of green infrastructure at the local, state, or cross-jurisdictional level. This compendium presents a variety of existing permitting approaches that encourage or require green infrastructure in municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s); it also provides excerpts from current state and EPA MS4 permits and examples of how MS4 permittees implement green infrastructure permit requirements. These excerpts and examples can serve as a road map for permitting authorities and permittees that are interested in incorporating green infrastructure into permitting programs or identifying successful strategies to maintain compliance. To develop this compendium, EPA reviewed final individual and general National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) MS4 permits issued through August 2021.
This compendium is part of a series of compendia of MS4 permit excerpts and is intended to serve as a snapshot of permit provisions. As permits are reissued or revised, EPA may update this compendium to include more recent examples and new information. EPA also welcomes input on this compendium and expects to update it as appropriate based on the comments received. EPA notes that the inclusion of any particular permit example should not be read as an endorsement of the entire approach taken in that permit, nor should it be read as EPA’s independent determination that the permit terms meet the Phase I and/or Phase II MS4 requirements.
In addition, this document does not impose any legally binding requirements on EPA, states, or the regulated community and does not confer legal rights or impose legal obligations upon any member of the public. EPA made every attempt to ensure the accuracy of the examples included in this document. In the event of a conflict or inconsistency between this compendium and any statute, regulation, or permit, it is the statute, regulation, or permit that governs, not this compendium. For more information about the NDPES Stormwater Program, visit www.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater.
Model Ordinance File Type: Existing Code
Arbor Day Foundation Tree Enforcement Ordinance Examples
Without enforcement, even the most robust tree ordinance can become mere guidelines. Clear penalties, site inspections, stop-work authority, and a defined process for addressing infractions all help motivate compliance and deter violations. The key is to scale enforcement mechanisms to match your community’s available staff and resources. The three levels of sample language and examples below demonstrate how enforcement language can be scaled up, depending on resource availability.
Rainwater Harvesting Brochure-Puyallup
This program offers a cost-share opportunity to City of Puyallup residents to
encourage the replacement of impervious surfaces with green stormwater
infrastructure (GSI) at their residential properties.
Green stormwater infrastructure refers to systems and practices that use or
mimic natural hydrological processes. These systems manage stormwater
where it falls, letting it soak into the ground instead of running off into our
waterways.
Approved participants cost share is based on the type of GSI they install,
which includes:
• Rain Gardens: participants pay for contractor labor, or perform labor
themselves, to build the rain garden and the City purchases all materials
up to $1,500.00
• Permeable Pavements: participants receive a reimbursement for 50% of
the total costs, up to $10,000.00
• Rain Barrels: Participants receive a reimbursement for the cost of the
rain barrel, up to $150.00
How it works:
1.) Application: Existing City of Puyallup residential properties are eligible.
2.) Preliminary Site Evaluation: Program staff will evaluate the site to
suggest possible GSI.
3.) Percolation Test: Soils will be tested for infiltration rate to ensure GSI is
feasible at proposed site.
4.) Cost-Share Agreement: Written and signed agreements will completed
between homeowner and City.
5.) Select pre-approved contractor, design and install: To ensure GSI is
installed correctly, homeowner will need to hire a pre-approved contractor
or follow a plan provided by the city.
For more information,
contact:
City of Puyallup Stormwater
Engineering
