Chapter 57 – Storm Water Pollution Prevention

Approved by Brendan Mulholland
Revised 9/21

57.1 Policy
57.2 Scope
57.3 Applicability
57.4 Exceptions
57.5 Roles and Responsibilities
57.6 Definitions
57.7 Required Work Processes

Work Process A. General Requirements

57.8 Source Requirements
57.9 Reference Documents

Note:
🚩🚩 Denotes a new section

🚩 Denotes the beginning of changed text within a section

🛑 Denotes the end of changed text within a section

___________________

57.1 Policy

In accordance with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations, Berkeley Lab notified the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) in 1992 that it will comply with the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System’s general permit for storm-water discharges associated with industrial activity.
Berkeley Lab must:
1. Maintain an effective and appropriate storm-water drainage system;
2. Ensure that no water other than storm water and SWRCB-approved non-storm-water discharges such as irrigation water, fire-sprinkler-testing water, and air-conditioner condensate enters the storm-water drainage system;
3. Collect, monitor, and properly dispose of all non–stormwater; and
4. Identify all operations that could contaminate storm water, and take appropriate corrective measures to prevent stormwater pollution.
In addition, Berkeley Lab will notify and secure a General Construction Permit from the SWRCB for any construction projects exceeding one acre in size (Work Process A.3.h).
Berkeley Lab will incorporate post-construction stormwater management into new development and redevelopment plans to protect related watersheds and water bodies from hydrologic-based impacts and pollution associated with the post-construction landscape. Those post-construction requirements are included in the SWRCB Construction General Permit for construction projects exceeding one acre in size. For federal developments greater than 5,000 square feet, Berkeley lab shall implement EISA Section 438.

57.2 Scope

The Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program ensures that Berkeley Lab meets California’s stormwater permit requirements while using the best-available, cost-effective technology to reduce or eliminate stormwater pollution by:

Maintaining an effective and appropriate stormwater drainage system;
Ensuring that no water other than stormwater enters the stormwater drainage system unless authorized;
Collecting, monitoring, and properly disposing of all non–stormwater;
Identifying all operations that could contaminate stormwaters, and taking appropriate corrective measures to prevent stormwater pollution; and
Incorporating post-construction stormwater management controls into new development and redevelopment plans.

57.3 Applicability

All Berkeley Lab employees, affiliates, and subcontractors

57.4 Exceptions

None

57.5 Roles and Responsibilities

Role	Responsibilities
Principal investigators and supervisors	Ensure that environmental laws, regulations, and policies are followed; Request assistance from the Environmental Services Group (ESG) for technical advice on which environmental requirements apply to their operations, and what would be an appropriate compliance strategy; Provide training for employees in operational requirements pertaining to environmental protection, and maintain records of such training; Ensure that activities are performed within acceptable operating standards and that any required records are current; Notify the Environment, Health and Safety, (EHS) Division immediately of any unplanned accidental releases.
Employees	Follow applicable environmental laws, regulations, and policies; Must be fully aware of the environmental impact of their activities, and must comply with all requirements that govern those activities; Adhere to all environmental requirements contained in Berkeley Lab stormwater permits; Perform activities within acceptable operating standards, and maintain current records whenever required; Ensure that exposures of the public and the environment to radioactive emissions are kept as low as reasonably achievable; Participate in energy conservation, recycling, pollution-prevention, and waste-minimization programs; Take immediate action to stop unplanned releases to the environment, and report all instances of unplanned environmental releases to the EHS Division Complete all required training provided by supervisors and the EHS Division.
Environmental Services Group	Develops Berkeley Lab policies and procedures to ensure operations are conducted in an environmentally safe manner and in full compliance with all applicable environmental laws and regulations and DOE orders; Prepares environmental compliance plans and reports as mandated by SWRCB regulations and DOE orders; Assesses current and planned Berkeley Lab programs, and assists in defining environmental-protection compliance upgrades and corrective actions; Prepares budget requests for, and manages, environmental protection upgrades and corrective actions for institutional projects; Provides training, makes presentations, and participates in discussions regarding environmental-protection matters with Berkeley Lab employees, regulatory agencies, concerned public citizens, community organizations, and the media; Manages and applies for stormwater permits; Curtails or suspends any operations that pose an immediate danger to members of the public or the environment Monitors laboratory discharges to the environment to verify compliance with applicable regulations and permits; Investigates reports of unplanned environmental releases, and notifies federal, state, and local authorities in a timely manner, as required; Coordinates and represents Berkeley Lab activities during environmental audits and inspections by regulatory agencies and DOE; Responds to information requests from the public; Participates in DOE audits of off-site analytical laboratories to ensure the quality of analytical results received for environmental-monitoring programs.

57.6 Definitions

Term	Definition
Effluent	Any treated or untreated liquid discharge from Berkeley Lab or from a Laboratory facility
Environmental monitoring	The collection and analysis of environmental samples or direct measurements of environmental media. Environmental monitoring consists of three major activities: effluent monitoring, environmental surveillance, and meteorological monitoring.
Environmental surveillance	The collection and analysis of samples, or direct measurements of air, water, soil, foodstuff, biota, and other media from Berkeley Lab and its environs, for the purpose of determining compliance with applicable standards and permit requirements, assessing radiation exposures of members of the public, and assessing the effects, if any, on the local environment.
Environmental occurrence	Any sudden or sustained deviation from a regulated or planned performance at an operation that has environmental protection and compliance significance
Pollution prevention	Reducing or eliminating waste at the source by modifying production processes, promoting the use of nontoxic or less-toxic substances, implementing conservation techniques, and reusing materials rather than putting them into the waste stream
State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB)	The agency responsible for promulgating the California General Permit for Stormwater Discharge Associated with Industrial Activities and the Permit for Stormwater Discharge Associated with Construction Activities. At Berkeley Lab, these permits are administered and enforced by the San Francisco Regional Water Quality Control Board, with assistance from the City of Berkeley.
Sustainable design	A systems approach to design and construction for facilities, systems, and equipment that ensures consideration of the optimization of ecological and human issues in light of acceptable economic constraints. Considerations include measures such as minimizing storm water run-off, optimizing site potential, minimizing energy consumption, protecting and conserving water, using environmentally preferable products and services, enhancing indoor environmental quality, and optimizing operational and maintenance practices.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)	A federal agency responsible for enforcing environmental laws. In California, some of this responsibility is typically delegated to state and local regulatory agencies.

57.7 Required Work Processes

Work Process A. General Requirements

Stormwater Discharge Permit
1. In accordance with EPA regulations, Berkeley Lab notified the SWRCB in 1992 that it will comply with the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System’s general permit for storm-water discharges associated with industrial activity.
2. The stormwater discharge permit requires Berkeley Lab to implement the best-available cost-effective technology to reduce or eliminate stormwater pollution.
Stormwater Discharge Permit Requirements
1. Berkeley Lab must:
  1. Maintain an effective and appropriate stormwater drainage system
  2. Ensure that no water other than stormwater or SWRCB-approved non-stormwater such as irrigation water, fire-sprinkler-testing water, and air conditioner condensate enters the storm-water drainage system;
  3. Collect, monitor, and properly dispose of all non–stormwater;
  4. Identify all operations that could contaminate storm water, and take appropriate corrective measures;
  5. Incorporate post-construction stormwater management controls into new development and redevelopment plans.
Program Implementation
1. To implement stormwater discharge permit requirements, Berkeley Lab has identified and eliminated all unauthorized connections to the storm drains.
2. In addition, outdoor chemical storage areas and transformer pads have been equipped with secondary containment basins.
3. In accordance with the permit, stormwater is monitored during four storms annually to determine the effectiveness of pollution-control practices.
4. Berkeley Lab also conducts training relevant to stormwater concerns for appropriate employees.
5. As a practical matter, employees must adhere to the above requirements for any outdoor operations involving water, oil, chemicals, or soils.
6. Indoor operations must be designed to prevent release of contaminants into the environment, and spills must be reported promptly to allow immediate containment and cleanup.
7. This program is described in detail in the Berkeley Lab Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan and Stormwater Monitoring Plan, which are available on the ESG Web site.
8. In addition, Berkeley Lab will notify and secure a Construction General Permit from the SWRCB for any projects exceeding one acre in size.
  1. Such projects require their own stormwater pollution-prevention plan and the implementation of best-management practices that are appropriate for the project.

57.8 Source Requirements

33 United States Code Ch 26, 1311 et seq., Clean Water Act
42 USC, Chapter 103 Section 9601 et seq., Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act, as amended
42 USC, Chapter 133, 13101–13109 Pollution Prevention Act of 1990
40 CFR 110, 112, 116, 117, 122, 136, 300, 302, 355, 372, and 401
CCR Title 23 CCR Division 3 , Chapter 9, Waste Discharge Reports and Requirements, and Chapter 9.2 Sections 2250, 2251, 2260, Reportable Quantities and Reporting Requirements, discharges of non-AEA to waters of the state
California Health and Safety Code, Division 5 Sections 5410, 5411, and 5411.5, Reporting Discharges of sewage or other waste to the waters of the state
California Health and Safety Code, Division 20 Chapter 6.67, Aboveground Storage of Petroleum, to the extent involving discharges or potential discharges to waters of the state
California Water Code, Division 7, Water Quality, to the extent involving discharges or potential discharges of non AEA materials to waters of the state
SWRCB Water Quality Order #2006-003-DWQ Statewide General Waste Discharge Requirements for Sanitary Sewer Systems
SWRBC Water Quality Order #97-003-DWQ Statewide General Permit Requirements for Stormwater Discharges Associated with Industrial Activity
SWRCB Water Quality Order #99-008-DWQ Statewide General Permit for Construction Stormwater Discharges
City of Berkeley Municipal Code 17.20, City of Berkeley, Discharge of Non-Storm Water into the City’s Storm Drain System—Reduction of Storm Water Pollution (except discharges of Atomic Energy Act materials)
Oakland Municipal Code Ordinance 12024, City of Oakland, Creek Protection, Stormwater Management, and Discharge Control, (except discharges of Atomic Energy Act materials)

Other Driving Requirements

Section 438 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA),
EPA SW 846 Test Methods for Evaluating Solid Waste
Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater
California Health and Safety Code Sections, 25270, 25501, 25503 and 25507
California Water Code Sections 13260, 13267, 13271 and 13273

57.9 Reference Documents

Document number	Title	Type
007.09.007.004	Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan for the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab	Plan
007.09.007.005	Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan for the Old Town Demolition Project	Plan
007.09.007.006	Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan for the Bayview / SURP / BioEPIC Project	Plan
007.09.007.007	Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan for the SSM and THUP Project	Plan
007.09.007.010	Environmental Monitoring Plan (stormwater discharge section)	Plan
007.09.007.011	ESG Procedure 200, Environmental Reporting and Correspondence	Procedure
007.09.007.012	ESG Procedure 201, Environmental Permitting	Procedure
007.09.007.013	ESG Procedure 206, On-Site Analysis of Environmental Samples	Procedure
007.09.007.014	ESG Procedure 252, Data Quality Objectives and Assessment	Procedure
007.09.007.015	ESG Procedure 254, Sample Processing , Packaging, and Transport	Procedure
007.09.007.016	ESG Procedure 256, ESG Database Verification and Validation	Procedure
007.09.007.017	ESG Procedure 260, Sampling Unauthorized Non-Stormwater Discharges	Procedure
007.09.007.018	ESG Procedure 263, Surface Water Sampling	Procedure
007.09.007.019	ESG Emergency Response Protocol for Sewage and Potable Water Releases	Procedure

_____________________

Contents