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Subject:  Pollution Prevention Evaluation

Dear City of Carson Business:

The City of Carson would appreciate your cooperation in allowing the city’s contractor, TECS Environmental, to perform a pollution prevention evaluation of your facility.  The evaluation will identify any runoff pollution problems at your facility and provide solutions to correct deficiencies.  The City of Carson, along with 87 other municipalities in Los Angeles County, is responsible for tracking, inspecting and ensuring compliance at industrial and commercial facilities that could be critical sources of pollutants in storm water.

The requirement to conduct inspections is specified under the Los Angeles County Municipal National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit, the California Water Code and the Federal Clean Water Act.  Under the current NPDES permit, the city is required to inspect two categories of businesses: commercial facilities such as restaurants, automotive service facilities and retail gasoline outlets, and industrial facilities specified by the Clean Water Act.

Inspectors will inform owners/operators of their responsibilities under the NPDES permit. Where applicable, inspectors will verify that industrial facilities have obtained a General Industrial Storm Water Permit (GIASWP) from the Regional Water Quality Control Board.  This is not the same as an Industrial Waste Discharge Permit that is issued by Los Angeles County. 

Ultimately, the goal of these inspections is the detection and elimination of illicit discharges and the implementation of best management practices to minimize the discharge of sediment and chemical constituents to the receiving waters of the Dominguez Channel. The inspections are intended to be business friendly and educational, and it is the city’s intent to give businesses a reasonable amount of time to achieve compliance.  However, if your facility fails to make any necessary changes to eliminate pollution problems that are identified by the contractor, the city will be compelled by state and federal regulations to take enforcement action.  Pamphlets will be provided explaining various methods for compliance.

We look forward to your cooperation.  Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact Ms. Patricia Elkins, Building Construction Manager, at (310) 847-3529 or the city’s contractor, TECS Environmental, at (626) 396-9424.