Snow Dumps

What You Didn’t Realize You Need to Know

Each year, it comes as a shock to one or more towns in Maine that the DEP has regulations concerning snow dumps. Chapter 573, “Snow Dumps: Best Management Practices for Pollution Prevention,” (2012 version) explains the do’s and don'ts of locating and maintaining a snow dump and when a waste discharge license is needed from DEP. Chapter 573 can be found here: http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/rules/06/chaps06.htm

License Needed

A waste discharge license is needed for:

Discharges of snow removed from public or private ways or parking lots directly into estuarine and marine waters,
Discharges of meltwater to ground water from snow dumps that are located wholly or partially within a significant sand and gravel aquifer,
Discharges of meltwater to waters of the State from snow dumps that do not meet the minimum water body setbacks and BMPs for pollution prevention established in sections 5 and 6 of the rule, and
Discharges of meltwater to waters of the State from snow dumps that comply with the setbacks and BMPs established in section 5 and 6 but that discharge pollutants to waters of the State or cause a violation of applicable state water quality standards, as provided in section 7.

The DEP does not consider incidental discharges from on-site plowing, pushing, or blowing snow, such as bridges or parking lots that abut the water, to be a snow dump that requires a permit. For example, snow entering a river or stream as the result of plowing a bridge does not need a license.

The BIG NO-NO: By law, it is illegal to dump snow directly into fresh surface waters of the state.

The Department will NOT issue a waste discharge license for this activity.

Questions about licensing, siting and maintenance of snow dumps can be directed to DEP’s Bill Hinkel at (207)485-2281, e-mail: bill.hinkel@maine.gov

This page last updated on 4/9/13

maine local roads center

Snow Dumps

What You Didn’t Realize You Need to Know