VA DEQ SWM INSPECTOR COMPREHENSIVE
CORRECT QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS SURE A+
✔✔9VAC25-840-80 - ✔✔Criteria for determining status of land-disturbing activity
A. program administrator shall determine the validity of a claim of exempt status by a
property owner who disturbs 10,000 sf or more or 2,500 sf or more in all areas of
jurisdictions designated as subject to the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area
Designation and Management Regulations (9VAC25-830); as soon as nonexempt
status is determined, the requirements of the Act shall be immediately enforced.
B. should a land-disturbing activity not begin during the 180-day period following plan
approval or cease for more than 180 days, the VESCP authority may evaluate the
existing approved erosion and sediment control plan to determine whether the plan still
satisfies local and state erosion and sediment control criteria and to verify that all design
factors are still valid; if VESCP authority find the previously filed plan to be inadequate,
a modified plan shall be submitted and approved prior to the resumption of land-
disturbing activity (no grand-fathering in erosion)
✔✔Virginia Erosion and Sediment Control Program - ✔✔put in by the General
Assembly to operate at the local level; for programs to prevent the unreasonable
degradation of properties, stream channels, waters, and other natural resources
✔✔ESC Program Goal - ✔✔"effective control of soil erosion, sediment deposition, and
nonagricultural runoff...to prevent the unreasonable degradation of property, stream
channels, waters, and other natural resources." (due to non-agricultural activities)
protect downstream properties from
- sediment deposition
- damage due to increases in volume, velocity and peak flow rates or runoff
✔✔Virginia Erosion and Sediment Control Law (ESCL) - ✔✔requires that State Water
Control Board "shall develop a program and promulgate regulations for the effective
, control of soil erosion, sediment deposition, and non agricultural runoff that must be met
in any control program to prevent the unreasonable degradation of properties, stream
channels, waters, and other natural resources
✔✔When compared to other land disturbing activities, why does construction produce
so much more sediment volume? - ✔✔replanting isn't done until the end of construction
✔✔Federal Water Pollution Control Act - ✔✔1948
first major US law to address water pollution
Congress passed major amendments in 1972 - Clean Water Act (consolidated control of
water pollution policy under the administrator of the newly created US EPA; established
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System [NPDES] Permit Program, which in VA
is administered by the VA Pollutant Discharge Elimination system [VPDES], to control
water pollution by regulating point sources that discharge pollutants)
✔✔Stormwater Discharges from Land Disturbing Activities - ✔✔permitted under
Construction General Permit (GP) through NPDES
✔✔Statewide Regulatory Erosion and Sediment Control Program - ✔✔began in 1960s
(sedimentation problems were becoming increasingly evident in areas undergoing fast-
paced urban development - Northern VA and Tidewater region)
1971 - Governor's Council on Environment (reported to State Attorney Andrew P. Miller)
created task force to study issue of sedimentation across state -> verified statewide
sedimentation problems and recommended a statewide program be developed to
address erosion and sedimentation
1973 - VESCL adopted by General Assembly as addendum to Soil and Water
Conservation District Law requiring the Commission to establish statewide criteria,
standards, and guidelines for the effective control of soil erosion, sediment deposition,
and nonagricultural runoff from regulated land-disturbing activities that must be met in
any VESCP to prevent unreasonable degradation of properties, stream channels,
waters, and other natural resources; required all Counties and Cities in VA to adopt a
local ESC program by July 1, 1974
1990 - General Assembly passed amendment requiring Soil and Water Conservation
Commission to promulgate regulations for the administration, implementation and
enforcement of the VESCL (effective May 1, 1990)
2012 - House Bill 1065 (integration bill) made some significant changes to the VESCL
and VA Stormwater Mangement Act; required to align the VESCL with the SWMA nad
that all counties, cities, and towns with regulated Municipal Separate Storm Sewer
Systems (MS4) programs adopt and administer local VA Stormwater Management
CORRECT QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS SURE A+
✔✔9VAC25-840-80 - ✔✔Criteria for determining status of land-disturbing activity
A. program administrator shall determine the validity of a claim of exempt status by a
property owner who disturbs 10,000 sf or more or 2,500 sf or more in all areas of
jurisdictions designated as subject to the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area
Designation and Management Regulations (9VAC25-830); as soon as nonexempt
status is determined, the requirements of the Act shall be immediately enforced.
B. should a land-disturbing activity not begin during the 180-day period following plan
approval or cease for more than 180 days, the VESCP authority may evaluate the
existing approved erosion and sediment control plan to determine whether the plan still
satisfies local and state erosion and sediment control criteria and to verify that all design
factors are still valid; if VESCP authority find the previously filed plan to be inadequate,
a modified plan shall be submitted and approved prior to the resumption of land-
disturbing activity (no grand-fathering in erosion)
✔✔Virginia Erosion and Sediment Control Program - ✔✔put in by the General
Assembly to operate at the local level; for programs to prevent the unreasonable
degradation of properties, stream channels, waters, and other natural resources
✔✔ESC Program Goal - ✔✔"effective control of soil erosion, sediment deposition, and
nonagricultural runoff...to prevent the unreasonable degradation of property, stream
channels, waters, and other natural resources." (due to non-agricultural activities)
protect downstream properties from
- sediment deposition
- damage due to increases in volume, velocity and peak flow rates or runoff
✔✔Virginia Erosion and Sediment Control Law (ESCL) - ✔✔requires that State Water
Control Board "shall develop a program and promulgate regulations for the effective
, control of soil erosion, sediment deposition, and non agricultural runoff that must be met
in any control program to prevent the unreasonable degradation of properties, stream
channels, waters, and other natural resources
✔✔When compared to other land disturbing activities, why does construction produce
so much more sediment volume? - ✔✔replanting isn't done until the end of construction
✔✔Federal Water Pollution Control Act - ✔✔1948
first major US law to address water pollution
Congress passed major amendments in 1972 - Clean Water Act (consolidated control of
water pollution policy under the administrator of the newly created US EPA; established
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System [NPDES] Permit Program, which in VA
is administered by the VA Pollutant Discharge Elimination system [VPDES], to control
water pollution by regulating point sources that discharge pollutants)
✔✔Stormwater Discharges from Land Disturbing Activities - ✔✔permitted under
Construction General Permit (GP) through NPDES
✔✔Statewide Regulatory Erosion and Sediment Control Program - ✔✔began in 1960s
(sedimentation problems were becoming increasingly evident in areas undergoing fast-
paced urban development - Northern VA and Tidewater region)
1971 - Governor's Council on Environment (reported to State Attorney Andrew P. Miller)
created task force to study issue of sedimentation across state -> verified statewide
sedimentation problems and recommended a statewide program be developed to
address erosion and sedimentation
1973 - VESCL adopted by General Assembly as addendum to Soil and Water
Conservation District Law requiring the Commission to establish statewide criteria,
standards, and guidelines for the effective control of soil erosion, sediment deposition,
and nonagricultural runoff from regulated land-disturbing activities that must be met in
any VESCP to prevent unreasonable degradation of properties, stream channels,
waters, and other natural resources; required all Counties and Cities in VA to adopt a
local ESC program by July 1, 1974
1990 - General Assembly passed amendment requiring Soil and Water Conservation
Commission to promulgate regulations for the administration, implementation and
enforcement of the VESCL (effective May 1, 1990)
2012 - House Bill 1065 (integration bill) made some significant changes to the VESCL
and VA Stormwater Mangement Act; required to align the VESCL with the SWMA nad
that all counties, cities, and towns with regulated Municipal Separate Storm Sewer
Systems (MS4) programs adopt and administer local VA Stormwater Management
