Scope
This document applies to all staff, contractors i.e., commercial, government agencies, and non-profit entities performing work on property owned or operated by CVCC. In accordance with the Commonwealth of Virginia laws and regulations, Central Virginia Community College (CVCC) is required to implement and enforce written procedures as part of the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit program. These requirements are written to prevent to the maximum extent possible, a potential discharge of pollutants to the storm sewer system or natural drainage way on CVCC’s property. The MS4 Program Plan, Virginia Community College System Annual Standards and Specifications, Good Housekeeping and Pollution Prevention Manual, Nutrient Management Plan, all of these documents are applicable to this policy. These written procedures can be accessed on the Facilities Management page of the CVCC website.
Procedure
An illicit discharge is any discharge to CVCC property that is not composed entirely of stormwater, except discharges specifically identified in the Virginia Administrative Code and determined not to be a significant contributor of pollutants to CVCC’s property.
The Contractor shall use good housekeeping practices to prevent discharges; and immediately remediate any discharges containing potential pollutants as directed in the Good Housekeeping and Pollution Prevention documents on CVCC property. Contractors shall not litter, dump objects, substances or liquids into the storm sewer system or waterways; or carry out vehicle maintenance or vehicle washing on CVCC property. All persons disposing of pollutants shall use specified trash or recycling containers on campus; or dispose of items properly through local jurisdictional waste and recycling facilities. A pollutant is any substance other than rainwater and snowmelt including, but not limited to items such as trash, motor oil, gas, anti-freeze, animal waste, food waste, solvents, detergents, chemicals, cosmetics, art supplies, paint, electronics, batteries, metals, plastics, treated lumber, fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides.
If a discharge of any amount enters the storm sewer system or a waterway, notify the Facilities Office immediately. The Facilities Office will evaluate the discharge for the appropriate corrective actions. In the event of a discharge onto exterior campus surfaces that is reasonably expected to enter the storm sewer system or a waterway, take the following actions:
Contact Facilities. Report any spill or discharge within 24 hours to the Facilities Office at (434) 832-7736 and/or Institutional Police on weekends at (434) 832-7700. If spill is large and hazardous call The Fire Department at 9-1-1.
Assess the risk. When a spill occurs, determine the risks that may affect human health, the environment, and the property. This may be done easily in cases where the type of contaminant spilled is known. In situations where the contaminant is unknown, determining risks may involve some investigation. In cases where the chemical is unknown, the spilled material may be identifiable from the container label or the Safety Data Sheet.
Select personal protective equipment (PPE). It is crucial that the appropriate PPE is chosen to stop, confine, and cleanup the contaminant. Appropriate PPE may be a pair of gloves, eye and foot protection, or face masks. If the chemical is unknown and the risk level uncertain, use the highest level of caution and protection. Refer unknown chemical cleanup to the Fire Department and do not attempt to cleanup without appropriate guidance.
Stop the source. Stopping the source of a spill may involve turning a container upright, plugging a leak or moving an operation. In any case, the source leak or spill should be controlled as quickly as possible.
Confine the spill. It is crucial to confine the spill before it reaches waterbodies or storm drains. In some cases, this step may need to occur before stopping the source. The proper containment measures necessary should be assessed based on the size and type of the spill. A small spill may be confined with the application of absorbent, whereas a larger spill may require absorbent pads/socks. Temporarily block nearby storm drains and prevent the movement of the spill. If a large spill of fuel, sewage, or other hazardous materials occurs, contact the Fire Department to assist in response and cleanup.
Evaluate the incident and implement cleanup. Once the spill is stopped and confined, the person responsible for cleanup should develop a plan of action to clean up the spill. The person conducting the cleanup should make sure that they have enough spill response supplies to adequately deal with the spill. Once the discharge is cleaned up or the absorbents are saturated, any hazardous waste should be disposed of properly.
Regulated land disturbing activity on CVCC property is managed by the latest edition of Department of Environmental Quality approved Virginia Community College System’s “Annual Standards and Specifications for Erosion and Sediment Control and Stormwater Management.”
All land disturbances must be evaluated by CVCC and receive proper approvals prior to commencement of work.
Contractors must have permission to apply pesticides and herbicides on CVCC property. Contractors who apply pesticides and herbicides on CVCC property must be trained or certified in accordance with the Virginia Pesticide Control Act (§ 3.2-3900 et seq. of the Code of Virginia). Certification must be obtained through the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Pesticide and Herbicide Applicator program. Contractors must provide proof of current certifications to CVCC prior to commencing work.
Contractors must have permission to apply fertilizer on CVCC property. CVCC has a Nutrient Management Plan that must be adhered to. The Virginia Regulations for the Application of Fertilizer to Nonagricultural Lands require certifications for all licensees and contractor-applicators engaged in the commercial application of fertilizers to non-agricultural lands. Certification must be obtained through the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Fertilizer Applicator program. Contractors must provide current certifications and fertilizer application records to CVCC for annual reporting purposes.
If through an audit, inspection or complaint filed, the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Environmental Quality, City of Lynchburg or others render fines to CVCC on account of an illicit discharge determined to be the fault of Contractor, CVCC reserves the right to collect compensation from the Contractor. The Contractor may be charged for the cost of the corrective action which may include but is not limited to the remediation or abatement of the pollution or contamination hazards and the restoration of any affected property whether CVCC’s property or an adjacent property; payment of any fee, penalty, or fine assessed against CVCC; and may be subject to Department of General Services Division of Purchases and Supply debarment or suspension.
These written procedures are provided in the Good Housekeeping/Pollution Prevention manual and can found on the Facilities Management page of the CVCC website. A copy can be provided to anyone working on the CVCC Campus upon request.
All worksites shall be kept free and clear of unsafe trip and fall hazards. Barriers must be put up to keep people out of the restricted work areas. Materials shall be stored, used, and discarded in a safe manner following local codes and ordinances. Dumpsters shall be covered according to DEQ rules and requirements. An Erosion and Sediment control plan is required by the DEQ for any land disturbance projects. According to the DEQ Erosion and Sediment Control Law and Regulation Manual, "Erosion and Sediment Control Plan" or "ESC Plan" means a document containing material for the conservation of soil and water resources of a unit or group of units of land. It may include appropriate maps, an appropriate soil and water plan inventory and management information with needed interpretations, and a record of all decisions contributing to conservation treatment. The plan shall contain all major conservation decisions to ensure that the entire unit or units of land will be so treated to achieve the conservation objective.
For more information, visit the Facilities Management page of the CVCC website, or call 1-434-832-7735 for more information.
Policy #: CVCC0035
Last Reviewed/Revised: 11/14/2022
Responsible Dept.: Facilities
Other Policy References: NA