MS4 Permit And Forms

Program Overview

Small municipal separate stormwater sewer systems (MS4s) that are located within the boundaries of an urbanized area, as defined by the US Census Bureau, are regulated under the US Environmental Protection Agency's (USEPA) Phase II Stormwater Rule. The Phase II Stormwater Rule requires MS4 Operators to develop a stormwater management program (SWMP) which includes six minimum control measures (MCMs) that, when implemented together, are expected to reduce the discharge of pollutants to the maximum extent practicable. The goal of the program is to improve water quality and recreational use of waterways.
Stormwater discharges from MS4s in urbanized or additionally designated areas must be authorized in accordance with the permit for stormwater discharges from MS4s. This page contains the General Permit for Stormwater Discharges from Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4 GP) and the forms necessary to obtain coverage under that permit.

• Permit
• Forms
• Resources for SWMP development and implementation can be found on the MS4 Toolbox page

Permit

General Permit for Stormwater Discharges from Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems Permit, GP-0-24-001 (PDF). This permit was issued on December 13, 2023 and will become effective on January 3, 2024.

Overview of the MS4 General Permit, GP-0-24-001, Virtual Presentation, January 22, 2024: Recording and presentation (PDF)

Forms

Users must be registered with NY.gov in order to use the nForm Portal. user guides and help on registering for the portal are also available on the page.

If an MS4 Operator wishes to obtain a waiver from submitting an NOI electronically, the MS4 Operator must submit a request using the Application for Electronic Submittal Waiver to the Department at the following address:

NYS DEC Bureau of Water Compliance
MS4 NOTICE OF INTENT WAIVER
625 Broadway, 4th Floor
Albany, New York 12233-3505

Form Guidance

• How To Complete the Interim Progress Certification (Recording and Transcript (PDF)): A walkthrough of the MS4 Interim Progress Ceritifcation-6months.  
• How to Complete the Annual Report (Recording): A walkthrough of the MS4 Annual Report. Includes an overview of how questions are set up and conditional questions.  
• How to Complete the Annual Report as a Coalition/Group jointly (PDF)
• How to Complete Certification and Duly Authorized forms (Recording): An overview of how to complete the certification and duly authorized forms needed for the Interim Progress Certifications and Annual Reports.
• How to Continue Editing the Most Recent Version of a Report (Recording): An overview of how to continue working on a report that you started but did not complete. Reports do not need to be completed in one sitting; to continue working on a report, access the most recent version.
• How to Export Reports from nForm (Recording): An overview of how to export reports from nForm. Reports can be exported as a PDF and saved or posted, as needed.
• How to Share Access to a Submission (Recording and PDF): An overview of how to share access to a submission. Good practice to have multiple people with access to a submission in case of staff turnover.
• Other nForm related guides can be found here, including How to create and nForm account (PDF)

Supplemental Documents

• 2024 MS4 General Permit (GP-0-24-001) Fact Sheet (PDF) - This document describes the rationale for the MS4 GP requirements (GP-0-24-001)
• 2024 MS4 General Permit (GP-0-24-001) Responsiveness Summary (PDF) - This includes the NYSDEC's response to comments received during the public comment period on the draft MS4 GP (GP-0-22-002).
• The NYC MS4 Permit can be found here.