Regulatory Acronyms

 

BMP           

Best Management Practices

CC                   

Construction Controls (temporary BMPs on site developments of 1 acre or more OR within 500 feet of “waters of the state” and discharging storm water in Michigan this is also Part 91 of PA451 of 1994 Soil Erosion & Sediment Control BMPs)

COC                 

Certificate of Coverage is the document issued by EGLE which provides the framework and reporting deadlines for an NPDES Permit

CSO                 

Combined Sewer Overflow a combined sewer is a system which collects and transfers stormwater and wastewater in the same pipe system.  These systems are prone to overflows which can discharge untreated wastewater into surface water unless properly designed to handle excess stormwater runoff.

DPS                 

Department of Public Services

DPW            

Department of Public Works

EGLE

Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy - a term used to describe an act to restructure the original environmental protection efforts of MDEQ, while also developing new ways to resolve problems surrounding Michigan’s drinking water, protect the Great Lakes, and combat impacts of climate change.

EPA                 

Environmental Protection Agency (Federal Agency overseeing NPDES program and other federal initiatives for the environment’s protection)

GIS                  

Geographic Information System a database management system which links maps and data for a more comprehensive and interactive management of spatial data.

GPS                 

Global Positioning System

H&H   

Hydrologic & Hydraulic usually a spreadsheet model used by engineers to determine storm water flows from areas to a point source and then size pipes to convey the flows.

IDEP                        

Illicit Discharge Elimination Plan (one of the six minimum measures for stormwater, designed to eliminate illicit discharges/connections to storm systems)

MS4

Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System

MDEQ 

Michigan Department of Environmental Quality now referred to as EGLE (see above)

MDNR             

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

NPDES  

National Polluant Discharge Elimination System

 

NOI       

Notice of Intent

OSDS  

On Site Disposal System (Septic Tank and drain field) aka On-site treatment systems

PCC

Post Construction Controls (known for decades as a stormwater management plan in communities / counties, it is a plan for permanent BMPs for site development)

PEP 

Public Education Plan (one of the six minimum measures for stormwater)

PPP  

Public Participation/involvement Plan (one of the six minimum measures for stormwater)

POTW   

Publicly Owned Treatment Works is a term used in the United States for a sewage treatment plant that is owned, and usually operated, by a government agency. In the U.S., POTWs are typically owned by local government agencies, and are usually designed to treat domestic sewage and not industrial wastewater.

PP/GH

Pollution Prevention & Good Housekeeping – a plan/procedures developed for staff of a NPDES permittee working outside such as a DPW, DPS person or groundskeepers, one of the six minimum measures.

SAW

Stormwater Asset Management & Wastewater

SESC  

Soil Erosion and Sediment Control

SOP 

Standard Operating Procedures these are methods and actions for municipal maintenance, grounds-keeping and administrative staff to assure tasks are done in a manner to prevent pollution

SSO

Sanitary Sewer Overflow

SWMP   

Storm Water Management Plan acronym by the Feds/State which refers to the six minimum measures to comply with stormwater regulations/permit

SWPPP  

Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (actions/BMPs that industrial sites do for compliance with their NPDES Industrial stormwater permit)

WMP 

Watershed Management Plan

WWTP

Wastewater Treatment Plant