Author Archive

All current PAG-02 permittees should have received an email from MCCD on Wednesday August 28 announcing the renewal process that will be available beginning September 3, 2024.  There will also be a training available to the public at that time which details a majority of the changes to the permit from the 2019 version.  If you did not receive the email or otherwise need the information contained in the letter, it is available by clicking here.

Please note that the District Application for Review and both one hard copy and one electronic submission will need to accompany the Renewal NOI (available here) for all renewal requests.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we make our way through this process.

MCCD has an updated electronic submission policy.  It is now requested that all electronic submissions be made through our new upload site https://conservationdistrict.us/submissions.  You may upload files as a guest each time, or, if you plan to make multiple submissions, you may register for a free account to save time when returning to the website.  Please note that we are still requiring one electronic copy and one hard copy of all submission materials.  Submittals will not be processed until both the electronic and the hard copy are received.

We are also requesting that a uniform file process be utilized for all electronic submissions.  More information may be obtained by clicking here.

This update applies to all submissions that are made for a Chapter 102 Review for Adequacy, including but not limited to projects that are for less than one acre, General NPDES permitted projects, Individual NPDES Permitted projects, reviews required for compliance with Chapter 105 permits, and PAG-01 permit applications.

DEP has issued a news release regarding the Chapter 102 and added an announcement to the DEP Construction Stormwater page.  The Pilot Summary Document may be obtained by clicking here.  The program is currently only available for Individual NPDES Permit applications.  Montgomery County will be charging a fee for inclusion in the Pilot Program.  More information will be provided as it is availalble.

A draft of the PAG-02 General Permit that would become effective on December 8, 2024 has been posted to DEP’s eLibrary and announced in the Pennsylvania Bulletin for a 30-day public comment period, ending on Monday, April 8, 2024.  Other documents such as the updated NOI, the renewal NOI, a Fact Sheet whish discusses the 2024 updated permit and changes to the existing permit, among others are also available at this url.

To provide public comments on this or other environmental regulations proposed in Pennsylvania through the DEP eComment process, please click here or comments may be made by emailing ecomment@pa.gov.

On March 31, 2023 the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued a Special Public Notice (Special Public Notice-23-17) establishing a special condition to all existing authorizations under Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 and/or Section 404 of the Clean Water Act authorizations/verifications in Pennsylvania.

This special condition is added to all Section 10 and/or 404 permits previously authorized or verified in Pennsylvania. It requires that for any authorization or verification where work was not completed by March 31, 2023 an updated habitat screening using the Pennsylvania Natural Diversity Index (PNDI) be conducted, and that any and all avoidance measures listed in the PNDI for northern Long-Eared Bat are conditions of these permits (including PASPGP-6) and therefore must be followed.

MCCD’s guidance from DEP Central Office is that all PNDI receipts for new applications coming in and those in queue should have a date of March 31, 2023 or later, including PNDI receipts for amendment applications which have proposed additional earth disturbance. If the receipt date is earlier than March 31, 2023, the applicant should be notified to re-run the PNDI.  Any previously unreported avoidance measures or potential impacts regarding the Northern Long-Eared Bat will need to be resolved with the jurisdictional agencies prior to permit acknowledgement or issuance.