Construction and Stormwater Pollution: Policy, Violations, and Penalties

This study investigated the construction related stormwater pollution violations cases and penalties in Minnesota from 2001 to 2007. The major type of construction stormwater violations was related to the lack of best management practices (BMPs). Twenty-one percent of these violations were committed by public agencies. Forty-six percent of the total number of cases lacked a stormwater construction permit. The increase in the number of these violations coincided with the housing boom in the early-2000s and the change of enforcement of construction sites from five or more acres to one or more acres. Implementing these new expanded rules caused an increase in the responsibility of the enforcing agency of the State. Hence, the agency had to develop creative methods to enforce the laws by involving local government agencies more directly.