For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
AUTHORIZED ENFORCEMENT AGENCY. The Township Supervisor, the Ordinance Enforcement Officer and/or any other persons or agencies designated to act as the authorized enforcement agency by the Township Board.
BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES (BMPS). Structural devices or non-structural practices that are designed to prevent pollutants from entering storm water flows, to direct the flow of storm water or to treat polluted storm water flows. BMPs may include, but shall not be limited to, those described in the state’s Department of Environmental Quality Guidebook of BMPs for Michigan Watersheds. Equivalent practices and design criteria that accomplish the purposes of this chapter (including, but not limited to, minimizing storm water runoff and preventing the discharge of pollutants into storm water) shall be as determined by the Township Engineer.
CLEAN WATER ACT. The Federal Water Pollution Control Act, 33 U.S.C. §§ 1251 et seq., as amended, and the applicable regulations promulgated thereunder.
DISCHARGE. The introduction (intentionally or unintentionally, and directly or indirectly) of any liquid, substance, pollutant or other material into a storm water drainage system or waterbody.
DISCHARGER. Any person who directly or indirectly discharges storm water from any premises. DISCHARGER also includes any employee, officer, director, partner, contractor or other person who participates in, or is legally or factually responsible for, any act or omission that is, or results in, a violation of this chapter.
DRAIN. Any and all conduits, facilities, measures, areas and structures that serve to convey, catch, hold, filter, store and/or receive storm water or ground water, either on a temporary or permanent basis.
DRAINAGE. The collection, conveyance or discharge of ground water and/or surface water.
DRAINAGE WAY. A drain, waterbody or floodplain.
EPA. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
FLOODPLAIN. The area, usually low lands, adjoining the channel of a river, stream or watercourse or lake, or other body of standing water, that has been or may be covered by flood water.
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS. Any solid, liquid, semisolid or gaseous substance or material that because of its quantity, quality, concentration or physical, chemical or infectious characteristics may cause or significantly contribute to an increase in mortality or an increase in serious irreversible illness or serious incapacitating, but reversible illness, or may pose a substantial present or potential hazard to human health or the environment if improperly treated, stored, transported, disposed of or otherwise managed.
ILLICIT CONNECTION. Any method, means or conduit for conveying an illicit discharge into a waterbody or a storm water drainage system.
ILLICIT DISCHARGE. Any discharge to a waterbody or a storm water drainage system that does not consist entirely of storm water, that is not authorized by the terms of an NPDES permit or that is not an authorized discharge as defined by this chapter.
MDEQ. Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.
NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM (NPDES) PERMIT. A permit issued by the EPA or a state under authority delegated pursuant to the Clean Water Act that authorizes the discharge of pollutants to waters of the United States.
NON-STORM WATER DISCHARGE. Any discharge to the storm water drainage system or a waterbody that is not composed entirely of storm water.
PERSON. An individual, firm, partnership, association, public or private corporation, public agency, instrumentality or any other legal entity.
POLLUTANT. Includes, but is not limited to, any dredged spoil, solid waste, vehicle fluids, yard wastes, animal wastes, agricultural waste products, sediment, incinerator residue, sewage, garbage, sewage sludge, munitions, chemical wastes, biological wastes, radioactive materials, hazardous materials, wrecked or discharged equipment, rock, sand, cellar dirt and industrial, municipal, commercial and agricultural waste, or any other contaminant or other substance defined as a pollutant under the Clean Water Act. POLLUTANT also includes properties or characteristics of water, including, but not limited to, pH, heat, TSS, turbidity, color, BOD, COD, toxicity and odor.
PREMISES. Any building, structure, lot, parcel of land, or portion of land, or property, whether improved or unimproved, including adjacent sidewalks and parking strips.
PROPERTY OWNER. Any person having legal or equitable title to premises or any person having or exercising care, custody or control over any premises.
STATE OF MICHIGAN WATER QUALITY STANDARDS. All applicable state rules, regulations and laws pertaining to water quality, including the provisions of § 3106 of Part 31 of Public Act 451 of 1994, as amended, being M.C.L.A. §§ 324.11501 et seq.
STORM WATER DRAINAGE SYSTEM. Storm sewers, conduits, curbs, gutters, catch basins, drains, ditches, pumping devices, parking lots, roads or other human-made channels that are designed or used, singly or together in combination with one another, for collecting or conveying storm water.
STORM WATER POLLUTION PREVENTION PLAN. A document, that describes the BMPs and activities to be implemented by a person or business to identify sources of pollution or contamination at a site and the actions to eliminate or reduce pollutant discharges to storm water, a storm water drainage system and/or a waterbody to the maximum extent practicable.
STORM WATER RUNOFF or STORM WATER. The runoff and drainage of precipitation resulting from rainfall, snowmelt or other natural event or process.
TOXIC MATERIAL. Any pollutant or combination of pollutants that is or can potentially be harmful to the public health or the environment, including, without limitation, those listed in 40 C.F.R. § 401.15 as toxic under the provisions of the Clean Water Act, or listed in the Critical Materials Register promulgated by the state’s Department of Environmental Quality, or as otherwise provided by local, state or federal laws, rules or regulations.
WASTEWATER. Any water or other liquid, other than uncontaminated storm water, discharged from a premises. The term includes any water that has in any way been used and degraded or physically or chemically altered.
WATERBODY. A river, lake, stream, creek or other watercourse or wetlands.
(Prior Code, § 72.001.5) (Ord. 05-05, passed 9-8-2005)