stormwater management Program
Program Manager Contact Information:
Stormwater Management Program Manager | 252-466-3631
The intent of the Stormwater Management Program is to prevent or reduce the discharge of sediment and other pollutants into stormwater. Stormwater discharges have been increasingly identified as a significant source of water pollution. 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. Legal and other environmental requirements related to the Stormwater Management Program are maintained on the EM Portal.
A complete description of the responsibilities of the Stormwater Management Program is available on the EM Portal. Major components of the Stormwater Management Program include the management of:
Industrial Stormwater Management
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 specifies limitations and requirements based on the facility’s operation, type and amount of discharge, and receiving stream.
Site Stormwater Management
For all development and construction activities that will disturb equal to or greater than 1 acre of land and require a Coastal Area Management Act (CAMA) major permit, MCAS Cherry Point is required to have both a State Stormwater Management Permit and an NPDES Stormwater – General Permit for Construction Activities. For non-residential development, in addition to the coverage requirements of 1 acre of land disturbance and a CAMA permit, activities that add more than 10,000 square feet of built upon area require a State Stormwater Permit. Lastly, residential development that disturbs less than 1 acre of land, is located within ½ mile of and draining to shellfishing waters, has a built-upon area greater than 12%, and will add more than 10,000 square feet of built-upon area must obtain a one-time, non-renewable stormwater management permit.
Riparian Buffer
Riparian buffers help prevent sediment and other pollutants from reaching bodies of water, thereby improving water quality. The Stormwater Management Program Manager is responsible for ensuring that rules governing riparian buffers are implemented at the Air Station and outlying fields. It is especially important that the program manager ensure that projects, which may impact buffer zones, are planned and implemented with cooperation from North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) Department of Energy, Mineral, and Land Resources.
The Stormwater Management Program Manager must work with the Comprehensive Environmental Training and Education Program (CETEP) Manager to develop and implement education, training and outreach programs in accordance with the NPDES Stormwater Discharge Permit. A copy of the current training can be observed on the EM Portal.
The risk of negative environmental impacts from MCAS Cherry Point operations may be assessed by analyzing the practices that occur at the facility. Aspects are the characteristics of these practices that can cause an impact to the environment or other resource. It is Marine Corps policy that all Marine Corps installations identify and assess the environmental risk of the practices and aspects associated with each environmental program. Significant practices and/or aspects associated with this program include:
When necessary, objectives and targets (O&T) are developed in order to minimize the environmental risks posed by the facility’s practices and to track progress towards achieving environmental goals. Any O&Ts related to the Stormwater Management Program and their associated actions to improve performance are maintained on the EM Portal. Currently, there are no O&Ts associated with this program.
The Stormwater Management Program is evaluated under each annual internal Environmental Compliance Evaluation (ECE) and each triennial Benchmark ECE. Findings and corrective actions from these audits are maintained on the EM Portal.
Please refer to the EM Portal for more information regarding additional inspection requirements specific to this program.