Publication Date

Spring 2017

Degree Type

Master's Project

Degree Name

Master of Public Administration (MPA)

Department

Urban and Regional Planning

First Advisor

Frances Edwards

Abstract

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has programs designed to protect the navigable waters of the United States from urban runoff pollution. One source of polluted runoff regulated by EPA is from construction sites. In support of this effort, the California Regional Water Quality Control Board issued a regional National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit called the Municipal Regional Permit (MRP). The goal of the MRP is to provide consistent regulation of stormwater contaminants across multiple jurisdictions (CRWQCB, 2015).

This research project evaluated the construction inspection programs of fourteen cities located in California’s San Francisco Bay Area to determine whether municipalities are meeting regulatory requirements of the MRP. The fourteen cities evaluated include San Jose, Oakland, Fremont, Hayward, Sunnyvale, Concord, Santa Clara, Vallejo, Berkeley, Richmond, Daly City, San Mateo, San Leandro, and Livermore. The fourteen cities were chosen based on largest population of MRP permittees. This research also explored the challenges cities face implementing C.6 Construction Site Control Construction Inspection Programs. Furthermore, this research examined what minimum qualifications are required for the inspectors enforcing the MRP within the Construction Inspection Programs.

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