Touring Stormwater Regulations by Rail

Designing equitably accessible passenger rail facilities requires compliance with varying local and state stormwater regulations across the United States. Understanding unique regulatory environments in the planning stages positions a project toward success.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Code of Federal Regulations requires National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit coverage for stormwater discharges from construction activities that disturb one or more acres within regulated Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems. States, counties, and local governments also may require stormwater-management compliance through local ordinances, building codes, and development-plan requirements.

A railroad corporation is implementing accessibility improvements in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act at its stations nationwide. Such improvements, which typically include constructing accessible walkways, platforms, and parking, increase impervious coverage. Depending on the proposed earth-disturbance area and increased impervious coverage, designers may need Stormwater Management Plan approval, Erosion and Sediment Control (E&S) Plan approval, or compliance with jurisdictional agencies’ performance criteria. Presenters compare municipal, county, and state NPDES stormwater and E&S regulations encountered through their work in 20 states. They emphasize the importance of identifying future permitting needs and thresholds in a project’s planning stage, before beginning to design station improvements.

NPC Peer Reviewers assigned this presentation a learning level of Intermediate. For more on learning-level descriptions, visit our General Information Page.