Must the DECI be employed by the permittee, or can the DECI work for the permittee's contractor, subcontractor, third party, engineer, etc. ?

• The DECI can work for the permittee's contractor, subcontractor, consultant, etc. He does not have to be a direct employee of the permittee.

When does the DECI have to submit a report to the Enforcement Officer?

• During the course of a project, any incident of noncompliance must be reported to the Enforcement Officer within 24 hours, whether such incident was discovered during:
• The seven day routine inspection schedule
• A rain event inspection
• A construction phase inspection, or
• Simply observed during the course of daily activities

Who is the Enforcement Officer the DECI reports to?

• The Enforcement Officer is the person responsible for enforcement of the Watershed Development Ordinance in a Certified Community, Unincorporated Lake County, or the Chief Engineer of SMC in the case of Non-Certified Communities, Lake County Forest Preserves, Public Roads, and Public Development in a Regulatory Floodplain.  A good guideline is to report to the Enforcement Officer connected to the permit issuing authority.  

What are the liabilities associated with being a DECI?

• The DECI for any project has a responsibility to conduct inspections as required, document inspections, keep inspections and project plans available on site, report noncompliance issues promptly, recommend soil erosion/sediment control measures, and in the case of development requiring conformance with WDO Article VI, Section B.3. monitor site runoff.  These actions are detailed in the narrative above.  Assuming the DECI is competently completing these steps, the DECI will be considered to be meeting the requirements of the program.  Ultimately, liability for a development in noncompliance may fall to the owner, the applicant, the contractor, the developer, the DECI, or anyone else involved as determined on a case by case basis.

What happens to a DECI that is not performing competently?

• It is both the right and the responsibility of the Enforcement Officer to notify the SMC if a DECI listed by SMC is not adequately performing the DECI responsibilities.  After each notification to SMC of DECI deficiencies, the DECI will be notified by SMC of the problem and allowed a response.  After three documented unresolved complaints, a listed DECI will be notified of the procedure to de-list and allowed to respond.  A DECI that is deilisted will not be eligible for listing again for a period of one year from the date of formal removal from the list.
• A DECI may be removed from a development by the Enforcement Officer at the sole discretion of the Enforcement Officer.

Isn’t this program going to cost the development community a lot more money?

• The purpose of the DECI program is to facilitate positive communication between the permit issuing agency or community and the permit holder by creating a single point of contact for soil erosion/sediment control issues with the idea that it is easier to prevent soil erosion and sediment control problems than it is to correct them after they have occurred. Further, the program is intended to improve site conditions, minimize environmental impacts, and educate contractors/developers/inspectors about proper soil erosion/sediment control Best Management Practices.
• The DECI program has been designed to closely mirror the inspection requirements of the IEPA NPDES Phase II permit.  Any project that will have a NPDES Phase II IEPA permit will already be conducting the routine inspections required by either program, creating little to no real extra cost.

What do I have to do to be listed by SMC as a DECI?

• There are three parts to meeting the requirements for listing.  First, attend a day long training workshop sponsored by SMC or any other SMC approved training.  Second, take and pass the Designated Erosion Control Inspector Exam with a score of 80% or better.  Third, submit a Statement of Qualifications to the SMC for approval.  Once the three steps are completed and approved, SMC will add you to the list.

Who are the listed DECIs?

• SMC keeps a list of DECIs that have completed the above mentioned steps and have been approved.  

When is the next workshop or exam being offered and what is the cost?

• SMC will be offering workshops and exam dates as demand for the program dictates.  The best way to stay up to date is to periodically refer to Technical Training Opportunities. The cost for the workshop varies based on location and attendance, but should generally be around $40.  There is no fee for the exam.

After the exam is taken, how long will it take to be notified of the results?

• Exam results will typically be emailed within three days of the exam date, and no later than ten days.

After the exam is passed and a Statement of Qualifications is submitted, what is the procedure for approval and how long will it take to be notified of approval status?

• The Statement of Qualifications takes a little longer than the exam to review.  SMC uses a three person review process to ensure thorough and fair review.  A typical response time will be roughly two to three weeks for email notification and slightly longer for listing on the SMC website.

What does “Two years cumulative experience in the Upper Midwest Region on soil erosion and sediment control inspections.” mean?

• Two years of experience in field inspections of soil erosion/sediment control measures.  This could mean a twenty year career as a project manager with 10% of that time allocated to SE/SC field inspections, or two years as a field inspector for SE/SC, or ten years as a PE with 20% of that time allocated to SE/SC field inspections, or any combination along those lines.  Office experience, design experience, or other experience that isn’t directly involved with field inspections of Soil Erosion/Sediment Control measures does not meet the minimum requirement.
• A Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control (CPESC) is considered to have met the experience qualification requirement.

What job sites will require a DECI?

• All development with 10 acres or more of hydrologic disturbance
• All development with 1 acre or more of hydrologic disturbance and regulatory floodplain or wetlands on site or on adjoining properties.

Where can a DECI look for more information about the program, BMPs, or general information?

• The SMC website is a good source of information about the program.  Another resource is SMC staff, available for phone calls or walk-in appointments.