An initiative by environmental activist groups around the country to train the general public to inspect construction sites for compliance with storm water regulations could lead to regulatory chaos as individuals — who would receive only two hours of storm water management compliance training under the initiative — seek out non-compliant home builders and developers.

Storm water regulations are complex, said NAHB environmental policy analyst Glynn Rountree.

“The requirements mean different things on different sites,” he said. “Because every construction site can differ in size, soil type, slopes, vegetation, the presence or absence of nearby water bodies, weather conditions, etc., storm water management controls are selected based on the conditions on each particular site. And large storm events can potentially overwhelm storm water controls on even the best prepared site.”

Rountree added that “regulatory requirements are now, and are often, in a state of change.” For example, in the Washington, D.C. area, storm water discharges from construction sites are under increased scrutiny because of their proximity to the ailing Chesapeake Bay, he said. The more stringent storm water requirements that are currently proposed for Maryland and Virginia are likely to set the bar for revised requirements in the other states around the bay and for other areas of the country faced with similar water quality issues.

As an example of how the monitoring of construction sites can cause problems, Rountree cited the Baltimore Harbor Waterkeeper, a local environmental advocacy group that is providing  training sessions for volunteers.

“Streams and rivers are lined with dirt,” points out the training class registration page on the Waterkeeper Web site. “However, too much dirt covers the life on the bottom of the river or stream and kills the plants. In addition, our rivers and streams are natural flood control zones. If we add too much dirt to those waterways, they will fill in, which increases the possibility of flooding,” the Web site says.

While these statements are completely true, Rountree said, two hours of classroom training by the best teachers will not provide members of the public with the ability to assess precisely when too much dirt has been moved on or from a construction site.

“Builders should assume that environmental groups are offering similar training in their own areas,” Rountree said. “As always, practice good housekeeping on your construction site and be ready to defend your practices should they be questioned by well-intentioned but poorly-informed citizens.”

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