Stormwater Enforcement Guide for Alabama

Reducing polluted stormwater runoff is one of the top priorities of the Alabama Water Agenda. To help our local partner groups in Alabama better understand the legal and regulatory tools available for combating this problem, SELC has developed a stormwater enforcement guide.

In a clear and coherent format, our guidebook

• Explains the various levels of regulatory authority―federal, state, and local;
• Lays out the relevant acts, regulations, and permits that come under each of these authorities;
• Reveals where there are overlaps and weaknesses in regulations and enforcement; and
• Shows how to make effective use of the laws and regulations now available.

SELC is also currently working with the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to strengthen state regulations for controlling stormwater discharges from construction zones―the state’s leading source of sediment-laden runoff. We are pleased to report that our voice is being heard and that our arguments have been reflected in EPA’s recommendations to ADEM for the permit revision. We will subject the revised permit to further scrutiny to make sure it protects the state’s waters.