With the passage of the Federal Clean Water Act in 1972, the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit system was developed to control “non-point source” pollution, and in 1987 EPA expanded the scope of the NPDES permit system to include stormwater. 

HTO reviewed every stormwater permit for the Storm Water Management Program (SWMP) for Santa Barbara County – all the cities from Santa Maria to Lompoc to the Santa Barbara Airport, to ensure that the language in the permit would be tough enough to make a difference.