Document reb5jRmX7R6Q3yR83yOz9JZ00

Ref:8Montana CERTIFIEDMAILandEMAIL RETURNRECEIPTandDIGITALREADRECIEPTREQUESTED HansLund TraditionalHomes,LLC 36332FulkersonLane Polson,Montana59860 Hans.lund@tradhm.com Re:InspectionReportforHillcrestDevelopment/TraditionalHomes,LLC,Unpermitted DearHansLund: OnSeptember15,2023,representativesoftheU.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgencyandConfederated Salish&KootenaiTribesinspectedtheHillcrestdevelopmentconstructionsiteinPolson,Montana,to evaluate compliance with the site's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit for stormwaterconstructiondischarges.TheinspectionwasconductedundertheauthorityofSection308 oftheCleanWaterAct(Act).Enclosedisareportoftheinspection. Inspection findings are summarized within the enclosed inspection report in a table titled "Findings, Corrective Actions and Recommendations." Within thirty (30) days of receipt of this report, please providetheEPAwithasummaryofcorrectiveactionstakentoaddresseachofthefindingsidentifiedin the report and any information that may change the findings or content of the report. This summary shouldbesentto: LisakayPrideaux ChaunceyMeans Prideaux.lisakay@epa.gov Chauncey.means@CSKT.org U.S.EPARegion8(8Montana) ConfederatedSalishandKootenaiTribes NPDESandWetlandsEnforcementSection ActingEnvironmentalDivisionDirector Helena,MT59626 Polson,MT A Small Business Regulatory Enforcement and Fairness Act (SBREFA) information sheet containing informationoncomplianceassistanceresourcesandtoolsavailabletosmallbusinessesisenclosedwith this letter. The inclusion of this information sheet does not necessarily mean that the EPA has determinedthatTraditionalHomes,LLCisasmallbusiness. Please contact me at 4064575022 or Prideaux.lisakay@epa.gov if you have any questions regarding thisletterortheenclosedreport. Sincerely, Prideaux, Prideaux, LisaKay Digitally signed by LisaKay -07'00' Date: 2023.11.09 14:22:25 LisakayPrideaux NPDESandWetlandsEnforcementSection EnforcementandComplianceAssuranceDivision Enclosures: 1) NPDESStormWaterInspectionReport-Construction 2) PhotoLog 3) SBREFAInformationSheet cc:(viaemail) TheHonorableTomMcDonald,Chairman,CSKT ChauncyMeans,ActingEnvironmentalDivisionDirector,CSKT EvanSmith,WaterQualityRegulatorySpecialist,CSKT NPDESStormwaterInspectionReportConstruction NationalDatabaseInformation InspectionDate:September15,2023 InspectionType:NPDESStormwaterConstruction Entry/ExitTime:09:20/09:51 NPDESIDNumber:unpermitted SICCode:1794excavationwork InspectionID:202309_Hillcrest Leadinspectorandaffiliation:LisakayPrideaux/U.S.EPAMontanaOperationsOffice Inspectorandaffiliation:EvanSmith/TheConfederatedSalishandKootenaiTribesoftheFlathead Reservation FacilityLocationInformation Site/FacilityName&Location: HillcrestDriveconstructionsite Polson,Montana 47.690923;114.134939 MailReportto: HansLund/TraditionalHomes,LLC 36332FulkersonLane Polson,Montana59860 ContactInformation Name(s)/Title FacilityContacts: HansLund,TraditionalHomes,LLCOwner/Manager(Notpresent) Craig,TraditionalHomes,LLCEmployee(Presentduringtheinspection) Person/Company meetingdefinitionof "Operator" AuthorizedOfficial(s) (PerNOIorSWPPP?) HansLund,TraditionalHomes,LLCOwner/Manager NoNOIorSWPPP PermitInformation Isthepermitonsiteandavailable?No DateNOISubmitted:unpermitted EffectiveDate:unpermitted ExpirationDate:unpermitted ConstructionStartDate: Percentcomplete: EstimatedCompletionDate: Onorbefore09/29/2022 unknown unknown DisturbedArea: TotalProjectArea: Latitude: Longitude: Approximately2.5 7.92acres 47.690923 114.134939 acres ReceivingWater(s):PolsonBCanaltoFlatheadLake Ifapplicable,iswaivercertification&approvalonfile?N/A RegulatoryInspector'ssourceofinformation:CleanWaterActregulation,complainantinformation, tribalcorrespondence,arielmaps,facilityrepresentativesandfacilityobservations. Inspectionbasedupon2022ConstructionGeneralPermitforStormwaterDischargesfromConstructionActivities Page1of6 SiteInformation Natureof Project Residential Commercial/ Roadway Industrial Construction Clearing/ Rough Stage Grubbing Grading Infrastructure Private Federal Building Final Const. Grading Weatherconditionsduringinspection:clear,sunny,53F State/ Other Municipal Final Stabilization AreasEvaluatedDuringInspection Permit Effluent/ReceivingWaters Records/Reports FlowMeasurement FacilitySiteReview SelfMonitoringProgram Other(s): ComplianceSchedule PollutionPrevention Laboratory ReportReviewandSignature DrafterSignature/Name:LisakayPrideaux Address/PhoneNumber Digitally signed by U.S.EPARegion8,Montana Prideaux Prideaux, LisaKay 10West15th OperationsOffice Street,Suite3200 Date: 2023.11.09 Helena,Montana59626 , LisaKay 14:20:33 -07'00' 4064575022 ReviewerName: Address/PhoneNumber BritRustad U.S.EPARegion8 1595WynkoopStreet 8ENFWNW Denver,Colorado80202 3033126885 ManagementSignature/Name:EmilioLlamozas, NPDES&WetlandsEnforcementSection Supervisor EMILIO Digitally signed by EMILIO LLAMOZAS Date: 2023.11.09 LLAMOZAS 13:52:24 -07'00' Address/PhoneNumber U.S.EPARegion8 1595WynkoopStreet 8ENFWNW Denver,Colorado80202 3033126407 Date 10.17.2023 Date 10.18.2023 Date 11/09/2023 Inspectionbasedupon2022ConstructionGeneralPermitforStormwaterDischargesfromConstructionActivities Page2of6 InspectionNarrativeandSiteDescription OnNovember9,2022,acitizenoftheCityofPolsoncontactedEvanSmith,EnvironmentalSpecialistfor theConfederatedSalishandKootenaiTribesoftheFlatheadReservation(CSKT)toinquireifaparcelof land which was beginning construction activities had the proper permits to develop. The citizen also statedthatthesewer/waterandsomegradingactivitieshadalreadybeencompleted,andthatthere maybepotentialwetlandimpactsassociatedwiththeparcelofland.Theinquirywasaccompaniedby photostakenonSeptember29,2022,showingstockpilematerialsandpartialroadconstruction(photos notincludedinthisreport).EvanSmithcompletedanonsitevisitthefirstweekofDecember2022.No informationwassharedwiththeEPAregardingtheonsitevisit. OnJuly13,2023,aformalcomplaintwassubmittedtotheEPAregardingthesameparceloflandand the lack of stormwater construction permit coverage. On July 13, 2023, the tracking database for active/pending/draft stormwater construction sites on the Flathead Reservation was queried and no entry matched the description of Montana cadastral information or address location provided in the complaint.EPAthenaskedEvanSmithtocompleteanothersitevisittogatheradditionalinformation regarding the owner/developer, project description and local/tribal/federal permit coverages. Evan Smith completed a site visit on August 23, 2023, gathering additional information regarding the site, ownership,anddevelopmentplans.TheownerofthelandisMHPablo,LLCandthedeveloperisHans LundofTraditionalHomes,LLC.AtthetimeofEvan'ssitevisit,Mr.Lundindicatedpermitcoveragewas acquired,butitwasnotonsite.EvanaskedMr.LundtosendacopyoftheNOI/SWPPPtohimathis earliestconvenience.Laterthesameday,thestormwaterconstructiontrackingdatabasewasqueried anddidnotshowanactivepermit,oranyinthequeueforthesiteownerordeveloper. OnFriday,September15,2023,EPAinspectorLisakayPrideauxandEvanSmithwithCSKT,conducted an unannounced inspection at the project site. After arriving, I (Lisakay Prideaux) presented my inspectorcredentialstoCraig,anemployeeofTraditionalHomes,LLC,andaskedifMr.Lundwason site.Craigstatedhewasnotbutnotifiedhimofourarrival.CraigindicateditwasallrightforEvanand metowalkthesiteandtakephotographs,whilewaitingforMr.Lund. Theproject,asfarascanbeestimated,includesexcavationtoaccommodateinfrastructurefortwoor more4plexcomplexes.Atthetimeoftheinspection,noworkwasactivelybeingconducted.Activities notedtohaveoccurredtodateincludeexcavation(photos91899191,9201,9207,9211,9213,9214, and9217),materialexportandimport(stockpiles)(photos91929197,9201,9206,92099212,9214, 9217,and9219),concretefoundation,newroadcut(WestViewLane)(photo9188),andsewer&water main extension. At the time of the inspection one foundation included vertical construction (photo 9211),andanotherlocationwaspreppedforconcretepouringforasecondbuilding(photos9215and 9216). Pollutant sources noted onsite includeexcavated sediment (photos 9189 9191, 9201, 9205, 9207,9214,9217,and9219),roadgravel(photo9188),andstockpilesofvariousmaterials(photos9192 9197,9201,9206,92099212,9214,9217,and9219).Bestmanagementpracticesnotedonsiteinclude vegetated buffers in limited areas and of limited sizing (photos 9194, 9195, 9202, and 92089210). It wasnotedthatPolsonBCanalirrigationditch(photos9196,9198,9201,9203,and9204)ranthrough the property in a northsouth direction then running along the southern border to the west, and all construction activity was limited to the east side of the canal (photos 9199 and 9200). The Polson B Inspectionbasedupon2022ConstructionGeneralPermitforStormwaterDischargesfromConstructionActivities Page3of6 canalirrigationditchisconnectedtotheFlatheadRiverinthewestandflowsnorthandeastexitinginto FlatheadLake.Atthetimeoftheinspection,therewasnowaterrunningthroughthecanal,however, evidenceofrecentwaterwasdocumented(photo9204).AreasnotedwherenoBMPwasinplaceto controlthepollutantsourceinclude,butisnotlimitedto,vehicleentrance/exitsite(photos9188and 9218),stockpilematerials(photos91929197,9201,and9217),opendisturbedground(photos9189 9191,9201,9203,9205,and9217),andPolsonBCanalirrigationditch(photos9195,9196,9198,and 92019204). Afterwalkingthesite,wespokewithCraigtolethimknowthatwecompletedtheinspectionandwere notgoingtowaitforMr.Lundasitappearedhewasnotavailable.IprovidedabusinesscardtoCraig topassalongtoMr.Lundandstatedifhehadquestionsofoursitevisittocall,andthataninspection reportwouldbeforthcoming.PreliminaryfindingswereemailedtoMr.LundonSeptember15,2023. Mr.Lundhasnotrespondedtothepreliminaryfindingsemail. Aftertheinspection,areviewoftherainfallrecordedatthePolsonKMTPOLSO70,Montanaweather station(closestweatherstationapproximately1.4milesawayfromsite)fromtheNOAAwebsitewas conducted.Theweatherstation'sraingagereportednineteenprecipitationeventsover0.25inches (includingwhentherearemultiple,smallerstormsthataloneproducelessthan0.25inches,but togetherproduce0.25inchesormorein24hours)fromSeptember29,2022,toSeptember15,2023. x November1,2022,at0.12inches; x November2,2022,at0.23inches; x November3,2022,at0.35inches; x November5,2022,at0.33inches; x December1,2022,at0.32inches; x December21,2022,at0.47inches; x December24,2022,at0.29inches; x December26,2022,at0.11inches; x December27,2022,at0.13inches; x December28,2022,at0.43inches; x January28,2023,at0.25inches; x May6,2023,at0.25inches; x May7,2023,at1.19inches; x May8,2023,at0.17inches; x May9,2023,at0.11inches; x May10,2023,at0.18inches; x May22,2023,at0.14inches; x May23,2023,at0.11inches; x June17,2023,at0.14inches; x June18,2023,at0.13inches; x August22,2023,at0.78inches; x August23,2023,at0.60inches; x August30,2023,at0.62inches; x August31,2023,at0.77inches; Inspectionbasedupon2022ConstructionGeneralPermitforStormwaterDischargesfromConstructionActivities Page4of6 x September4,2023,at0.11inches;and x September5,2023,at0.25inches. Afterreturningfromtheinspection,Iqueriedthestormwaterconstructiontrackingdatabaseandit didnotshowanactivepermit,oranyinthequeueforthesiteownerordeveloper. Findings,CorrectiveActionsandRecommendations Finding#1:Thesitedidnothavecoverageunderthe2022NationalPollutantDischargeElimination System(NPDES)ConstructionGeneralPermitforStormwaterDischargesfromConstructionActivities (CGP). Atthetimeoftheinspection,itwasindicatedthatMr.Lundhasoperationalcontrolattheconstruction site,therewasgreaterthanoneacreofdisturbedarea,thesiteislocatedinanareawhereEPAisthe permittingauthority,dischargesarenotidentified/coveredunderadifferentNPDESpermit,andthere arenolistedendangeredorthreatenedspeciesindicatedinthisareaoftheproject.Itwasnotedthat PolsonBCanalirrigationditch(photos9196,9198,9201,9203,and9204)ranthroughthepropertyin anorthsouthdirectionthenrunningalongthesouthernbordertothewest,andallconstructionactivity waslimitedtotheeastsideofthecanal(photos9199and9200).ThePolsonBcanalirrigationditchis connectedtotheFlatheadRiverinthewestandflowsnorthandeastexitingintoFlatheadLake.Atthe time of theinspection,there was no waterrunning through the canal, however,evidence ofrecent water was documented (photo 9204). A review of the rainfall recorded at the PolsonKMTPOLSO70, Montana weather station (closest weather station approximately 1.4 miles away from site) from the NOAAwebsitewasconducted.Theweatherstation'sraingagereportednineteenprecipitationevents over0.25inches(includingwhentherearemultiple,smallerstormsthataloneproducelessthan0.25 inchesbuttogetherproduce0.25inchesormorein24hours)fromSeptember29,2022,toSeptember 15, 2023. There was evidence of stormwater discharge without a permit at the site as sediment accumulationwasobservedinthePolsonBCanalirrigationditch(photos9198,9203and9204).This irrigation ditch flows to Flathead Lake. The site is a construction site as defined in Appendix A of the CGP.Asofthedateofthisreport,noapplicationhasbeensubmittedunderMHPablo,LLCorTraditional Homes,LLC. Permitrequirement: UndertheprovisionsoftheCleanWaterAct,asamended(33U.S.C.1251et.seq.;theAct),federallaw prohibitsstormwaterdischargesfromcertainconstructionactivitiestowatersoftheU.S.unlessthat discharge is covered under a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. Operatorsofconstructionsiteswhereoneormoreacresaredisturbed,smallersitesthatarepartofa larger common plan of development or sale where there is a cumulative disturbance of at least one acre,oranyothersitespecificallydesignatedbytheDirector,mustsubmitanNOItoobtaincoverage underanNPDESgeneralpermit. The2022CGPcoverpagestates,"IncompliancewiththeprovisionsoftheCleanWaterAct,33U.S.C. 1251et.seq.,(hereafterCWA),asamendedbytheWaterQualityActof1987,P.L.1004,"operators" ofconstructionactivities(definedinAppendixA)thatmeettherequirementsofPart1.1ofthisNational Inspectionbasedupon2022ConstructionGeneralPermitforStormwaterDischargesfromConstructionActivities Page5of6 PollutantDischargeEliminationSystem(NPDES)ConstructionGeneralPermit(CGP),areauthorizedto dischargepollutantsinaccordancewiththeeffluentlimitationsandconditionssetforthherein.Permit coverageisrequiredfromthe"commencementofconstructionactivities"(seeAppendixA)untiloneof theconditionsforterminatingCGPcoveragehasbeenmet(seePart8.2)." Part1.1oftheCGPstatesthefiveeligibilityconditionsrequiringpermitcoverage:operatordefinition, construction activities, site location, discharge qualifications, and Endangered Species Protection criteria. CorrectiveAction: Obtaincoverageunderthe2022CGP.Visithttps://www.epa.gov/npdes/2022constructiongeneral permitcgpforapplicationinstructions.ProvidetheEPAandtheConfederatedSalish&Kootenai Tribeswithacopyoftheconfirmationthatanapplicationforcoveragehasbeensubmitted. Inspectionbasedupon2022ConstructionGeneralPermitforStormwaterDischargesfromConstructionActivities Page6of6