How long must record retention be maintained according to the 1992 ruling?

The requirement for maintaining records for a minimum of three years stems from regulations set forth in the Clean Water Act and reinforced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Specifically, the 1992 ruling under the NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) program mandates that records related to stormwater discharges, including inspection logs, monitoring data, and other relevant documentation, must be kept for this duration to ensure compliance and facilitate potential inspections and audits.

This three-year retention period allows sufficient time for regulatory agencies to assess whether the permitting requirements and pollution control measures have been appropriately implemented. Keeping records for this length of time also enables project operators and inspectors to track performance trends and respond to any potential compliance issues effectively.