disturbance activities when the activity requires a National
Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit for storm water
discharge under 25 Pa. Code Ch. 102 (relating to erosion and
sediment control), the person may use or install either:
(i) a riparian buffer or riparian forest buffer; or
(ii) another option or options among available best
management practices, design standards and alternatives that
collectively are substantially equivalent to a riparian buffer
or riparian forest buffer in effectiveness, to minimize the
potential for accelerated erosion and sedimentation and to
protect, maintain, reclaim and restore water quality and for
existing and designated uses of a perennial or intermittent
river, stream or creek or lake, pond or reservoir of this
Commonwealth to ensure compliance with 25 Pa. Code Ch. 93
(relating to water quality standards).
(2) A project located in a special protection watershed in a
drainage list specified in 25 Pa. Code § 93.9 (relating to
designated water uses and water quality criteria) that proposes
any earth disturbance within 100 feet of a surface water shall
offset any reduction in the total square footage of the buffer
zone that would have been utilized as a best management
practice, with a replacement buffer elsewhere along special
protection waters in the same drainage list and as close as
feasible to the area of disturbance at a ratio of one-to-one.
Any project incorporating such an alternative shall also include
other best management practices to manage postconstruction storm
water to protect, maintain, reclaim and restore water quality
and existing and designated uses of waters of this Commonwealth.
Replacement planting costs shall be calculated using department
guidance as specified in BMP 6.7.1: Riparian Buffer Restoration
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