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<p style="background:white"><strong><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#44546A">Draft RIPDES General Permit for Stormwater Discharge Associated with Construction Activity</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p>
<p style="background:white"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#44546A"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="background:white"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#44546A">In accordance with Chapter 46-12 of the Rhode Island General Laws, the discharge of pollutants to Waters of the State via a point source discharge is prohibited unless the discharge
is in compliance with the Rhode Island Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (RIPDES) Regulations.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background:white"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#44546A"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="background:white"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#44546A">The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM), Office of Water Resources, is required to issue general or individual RIPDES permits to cover discharges of
stormwater associated with construction activities from construction sites disturbing one or more acres.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background:white"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#44546A"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="background:white"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#44546A">The RIDEM RIPDES Program developed and reissued a statewide permit to cover stormwater discharges from construction sites with a land disturbance of one or more acres in 2013,
with an expiration date of September 25, 2018. At this time, the RIDEM is proposing to reissue the General Permit to continue coverage for stormwater discharges from construction activity disturbing one or more acres.
<b>No significant changes to the Draft General Permit are proposed.</b> This draft is proposed to be effective for a two-year period.
<b>The re-issued General Permit will not require existing permit holders to re-apply.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#44546A"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#44546A">A copy of the full Public Notice, Factsheet, Summary of Changes and Draft General Permit may be found on our website at:
</span><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#2260DC"><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/water/permits/ripdes/stormwater/construction.php"><span style="color:#2260DC">http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/water/permits/ripdes/stormwater/construction.php</span></a></span><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#44546A"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#44546A"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#44546A">Please note that comments on the Draft General Permit must be received by the date specified in the Public Notice.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#44546A"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#44546A"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#44546A"><img border="0" width="117" height="57" style="width:1.2187in;height:.5937in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image002.jpg@01D425B7.902ABD70"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#44546A">Office of Water Resources<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#44546A">Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#44546A">235 Promenade Street, Providence RI 02908<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#44546A"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#44546A"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#44546A"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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