| Abstract: | ABSTRACT: Federal and state storm water pollutant control regulations for industry require facilities to identify themselves and to implement appropriate controls specifically developed for each facility by its operators. Compliance is not directly observable from publicly reported information, and is believed to be low. Compliance requirements are divided into three stages: determination and notification of duty to comply; preparation of public reports and site-specific planning documents; and implementation of pollution prevention activities. Aggregate data show about 25 percent to 35 percent of metal plating facilities in California, and about 35 percent to 40 percent of facilities in the Los Angeles region, have recognized the need for first-stage compliance; the number required but failing to do so is not known. For second-stage compliance, between 77 percent and 88 percent of facilities submitted required annual reports from 1993 to 1995, while on-site water quality monitoring reports were submitted by about 60 percent of required facilities. Site investigations of ten Los Angeles area facilities showed variation in compliance with site-specific documentation and implementation requirements. Most facilities inadequately evaluated activities for potential storm water pollutants, and most prepared incomplete plans for storm water sampling and inspection procedures. Evaluation of third-stage compliance by evaluating quantitative effects of facility actions, beyond the scope of this research, is recommended. |
