§ 3909.1. Low Threat Action Plan and Revised Storm Water Action Plan.

On July 23, 2009, the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board adopted Regional Board Resolution No. R1 2009-004 amending, the Water Quality Control Plan for the North Coast Region (Basin Plan). The amendment revised the Basin Plan by incorporating a “Low Threat Action Plan” and a revision of the “Storm Water Action Plan.” These Action Plans will be incorporated into Chapter 4, “Strategic Planning and Implementation,” of the Basin Plan. On March 15, 2011, the State Water Resources Control Board approved this amendment under Resolution No. 2011-0012.

The amendment includes a new “Action Plan for Low Threat Discharges” (Low Threat Action Plan), which will apply to certain point source categories of planned, short-term discharges from definable projects where the discharge is controlled to eliminate or reduce pollutants and minimize discharge volume and discharge rates through the implementation of best management practices (BMPs). The Low Threat Action Plan would also allow for exceptions to the one-percent prohibition for low threat discharges. The Low Threat Action Plan provides the framework for permitting these low threat discharges and granting exceptions to the point source prohibitions.

The amendment also includes revisions to the existing Action Plan for Storm Water Discharges (Storm Water Action Plan). The revisions to the Storm Water Action Plan apply to discharges of storm water and certain categories of low threat non-storm water flows that are incidental to urban activities from regulated storm water collection systems. The Storm Water Action Plan identifies the conditions that must be met in order to prevent or preclude these discharges from being subject to the point source and one-percent prohibitions.

HISTORY

1. New section summarizing amendments to basin plan filed 5-12-2011; amendments approved by State Water Resources Control Board Resolution No. 2011-0012 on 3-15-2011; amendments approved by OAL 5-12-2011 pursuant to Government Code section 11353 (Register 2011, No. 19).