stormwater management Program
Program Manager Contact Information:
Stormwater Management Program Manager | 252-466-3631
The intent of the Stormwater Management Program is to prevent the discharge of sediment and other pollutants into stormwater. Stormwater discharges have been increasingly identified as a significant source of water pollution with sediment being the largest cause of stormwater pollution in North Carolina. The Stormwater Management Program is implemented in close association with other programs tasked to prevent water pollution and maintain the Air Station’s water resources. These programs include Storage Tank Management, Oil/Water Separator (OWS) Management, Erosion and Sedimentation Control, and Emergency Planning and Response.
Marine Corps policy requires that all Marine Corps installations and activities comply with all applicable environmental requirements, which may include Federal, state, local, Department of Defense (DoD), the Department of the Navy (DON), Marine Corps, and Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point rules, regulations, and requirements including these areas of interest:
Industrial Activities
Construction Site Erosion & Sedimentation Control
Post Construction Stormwater treatment
Riparian buffers and Wetlands
Industrial Activities
MCAS Cherry Point (including its outlying fields) is required to have a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Stormwater Discharge Permit due to specific industrial activities that occur at the installation. The discharge permit is maintained through NCDEQ as the NPDES MS4 program and specifies limitations and requirements based on the facility’s operation, type and amount of discharge, and the receiving waterbodies.
Construction Site Erosion & Sedimentation Control
For all development and construction activities that will disturb equal to or greater than 1 acre of land, a NC DEMLR approved Erosion and Sedimentation Control Plan is required along with the NCDEQ NCG01 General Construction Permit.
Depending on the project location and environmental impact, a Coastal Area Management Act (CAMA) or Army Corps of Engineers 401 or 404 permit may also be required.
Post Construction Stormwater Treatment
Activities that construct more than 10,000 square feet of built upon area require a Post Construction Stormwater permit, issued through Environmental Affairs Department within the Facilities Directorate of the Air Station. This is a component of the MS4 permit and the projects must meet NCDEQ Post Construction Stormwater requirements.
Additionally, under certain circumstances the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 Section 438 requires Federal Facilities undergoing development or redevelopment to maintain or restore predevelopment hydrology.
Riparian Buffer and Wetlands
Riparian Buffers and Wetlands help prevent sediment and other pollutants from reaching bodies of water, thereby improving water quality. Wetlands play a crucial role in treating nitrogen, phosphorus, and absorbing energy from large quantities of runoff. The Stormwater Management Program is responsible for ensuring that rules governing riparian buffers and wetlands are implemented at the Air Station and outlying fields; this includes cooperation with North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) Department of Energy, Mineral, and Land Resources, Army Corps of Engineers, and other entities.
The Stormwater Management Program is evaluated under each annual internal Environmental Compliance Evaluation (ECE), each triennial Benchmark ECE, and also by NCDEQ every 5 years.