United States EPA Reconsiders Imposition of Nation-Wide Cap on Sediment Discharges from Construction Sites

National Association of Home Builders applauds EPA decision

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has decided to reconsider the imposition of a nationwide cap on how much sediment can be part of the stormwater draining from a construction site, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).

EPA's announcement comes more than 18 months after NAHB sued EPA over its first proposal to develop a numeric limit for the turbidity, or cloudiness, of stormwater discharges, which the EPA voluntarily withdrew, recognizing that it was not legally defensible. 

"EPA set a numeric limit for water cloudiness that was based on flawed analyses," said NAHB Chairman Bob Nielsen, a builder in Reno, Nevada. "In its calculations, EPA relied on questionable data...That's no way to come up with national policy."

According to Neilsen, the EPA decision is a nod to the importance of sound science – and a big victory for home buyers.

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