Construction sites covered by a state stormwater permit have to be inspected on a schedule, after qualifying rain, and by someone the permit recognizes as qualified. Cypress Environment & Infrastructure performs construction stormwater compliance inspections for private landowners, developers, builders, and contractors in Baldwin County and Mobile County, Alabama, and Escambia County, Florida.
Inspections and oversight are led by a Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control (CPESC), with licensed Professional Engineers (environmental and civil) on staff. We work from offices in Mobile and Pensacola, which keeps routine visits and rain-event inspections within a short drive of the sites we cover.
What a compliance inspection covers
Each inspection covers the whole permitted site, checked against the site’s Construction Best Management Practices Plan (CBMPP) in Alabama or Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) in Florida. It includes:
- Erosion and sediment controls: silt fence, inlet protection, check dams, and sediment basins, installed and maintained as the plan shows.
- Perimeter and construction exits: offsite sediment tracking onto roads and adjacent property.
- Outfalls and receiving waters: discharge points, ditches and conveyances, and visible signs of sediment leaving the site.
- Stabilization: disturbed areas that need temporary or permanent cover, and progress toward final stabilization.
- Pollution prevention: concrete washout, material storage exposed to rain, fueling and equipment areas, and waste containment.
- Records: the rain log and whether earlier deficiencies were corrected.
Findings go into a written report with a dated photo log and a corrective-action list by location, so the crew knows what to fix and the file shows when it was found.
When inspections are required
Both states require routine and rain-triggered inspections on different schedules. Confirm current permit terms for your coverage, since both programs have changed recently.
Alabama: ADEM general permit ALR100000
ADEM reissued the construction general permit effective April 1, 2026. It applies to land disturbance of one acre or more, and to smaller sites that are part of a larger common plan of development or sale. Under the current permit:
- A pre-construction inspection is performed by a Qualified Credentialed Professional (QCP), or a qualified person under a QCP’s direct supervision, before BMPs are placed or land disturbance begins.
- Site personnel make daily observations of active work areas and log rainfall and apparent BMP deficiencies.
- Full site inspections are required once each month and after any qualifying precipitation event, defined as 0.75 inches or more in a 24-hour period. For non-linear projects, the rain-event inspection must begin within 24 hours of resuming work and be completed within 72 hours of the event.
- Site inspections are performed by a Qualified Credentialed Inspector (QCI), a QCP, or a qualified person under a QCP’s direct supervision.
- A QCP evaluates the CBMPP on site at least every three months for priority construction sites and every six months for other sites.
ADEM’s permit lists the CPESC among the credentials recognized for a QCP. Alabama’s QCI certification is held by a permittee or a permittee’s employee, so inspections performed by an outside firm are done by a QCP or a qualified person working under one.
Florida: FDEP Construction Generic Permit
The FDEP Construction Generic Permit applies to construction that disturbs one acre or more, or less as part of a larger common plan, and discharges to surface waters or a municipal storm sewer system. The current permit requires:
- Inspection at least once every seven calendar days, and within 24 hours of the end of a storm event of 0.50 inches or more, including weekends and holidays.
- Inspection by a qualified inspector provided by the operator.
- A report that includes the inspection scope, the inspector’s name and qualifications, rainfall data, observations, corrective actions, and signatures of the inspector and a responsible authority.
- Corrective actions completed in a timely manner, and no later than seven calendar days after the issue is identified.
FDEP has proposed a revised Construction Generic Permit, with a draft dated July 2026 that changes the inspection timing and inspector qualification language. Until it is adopted, the current permit governs.
Florida’s 2024 stormwater rule updates under Chapter 62-330 are a different but related program. They address the design and long-term operation and maintenance of permanent stormwater systems permitted through the Environmental Resource Permit program, rather than inspections during construction.
County and municipal requirements
The state permit is one layer. County and municipal land-disturbance permits may add plan, inspection, and reporting requirements of their own, and which office has jurisdiction depends on whether the site is inside city limits.
Baldwin County, Alabama
Baldwin County requires land disturbance approval in unincorporated areas where wetlands or flood-prone areas are involved, and its permit process calls for a CBMPP. Where an ADEM permit is required, the county expects the CBMPP to be prepared by a civil engineer or QCP. Cities including Daphne, Fairhope, Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, Foley, and Spanish Fort run their own permitting, so the city’s requirements apply inside municipal limits.
Mobile County, Alabama
In unincorporated Mobile County, commercial site plan review through County Engineering serves as the land disturbance permit, and site plans must show erosion and sediment controls and include the NPDES permit and CBMPP where applicable. The City of Mobile issues its own land disturbance permits under its Storm Water Management and Flood Control Ordinance, and some other municipalities in the county permit within their own jurisdictions.
Escambia County, Florida
Escambia County’s Land Development Code requires a land disturbance permit before clearing, grading, filling, or similar work, tied to the county’s stormwater management standards, and county staff may inspect permitted sites. Inside the City of Pensacola, a city stormwater management permit applies, and the city code calls for erosion and sediment controls to be installed and inspected before site work begins.
For other Gulf Coast locations, contact us to discuss the site.
Who needs construction stormwater inspections
- Developers of subdivisions, commercial sites, and phased projects.
- Builders and contractors who hold coverage or work under an owner’s permit.
- Private landowners clearing or grading one acre or more or part of a common plan of development (a subdivision with shared amenities)
What you receive
- A written inspection report formatted to the applicable state permit, with a dated photo log.
- A corrective-action list by location, and follow-up inspection of corrected items when needed.
- Recordkeeping support: rain logs, report files, and documentation for CBMPP or SWPPP updates.
- Coordination with the plan preparer when site conditions no longer match the plan.
Frequently asked questions
How often does my site need to be inspected?
Under current permits, Alabama requires a full inspection monthly and Florida at least every seven calendar days, plus rain-event inspections in both states.
What triggers a rain-event inspection?
In Alabama, 0.75 inches or more of precipitation in 24 hours. In Florida, a storm event of 0.50 inches or more, with the inspection due within 24 hours of the end of the storm.
Who can perform inspections in Alabama and Florida?
In Alabama, a QCI, a QCP, or a qualified person under a QCP’s direct supervision. In Florida, a qualified inspector as defined in the FDEP permit, whose name and qualifications appear on each report.
What happens if a required inspection is missed?
A missed inspection is noncompliance with the permit even if the controls are in good shape, and it shows in the records an agency reviews. Inspect as soon as possible and document the gap.
Do county or city permits add requirements?
Often. The counties and several cities issue their own land-disturbance or stormwater permits, which can add plan review, inspections, and conditions beyond the state permit.
Request an inspection quote
Starting a site or behind on inspections? Contact Cypress Environment & Infrastructure with the site address, disturbed acreage, your state permit number if coverage is in place, and any county or city permit. We will review the requirements that apply and propose an inspection scope.
Offices: 150 Government Street, Suite 950-1000, Mobile, AL, and 13 Palafox Place, Pensacola, FL. Call 251-379-0462. Hours are Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.