Act 162

The Pennsylvania Clean Streams Law, 35 P.S. §§ 691.1 et seq. (Act of 1937, P.L. 1987, No. 394) was amended by the General Assembly as HB 1565 on October 16, 2014, and was signed into law on October 22, 2014, as Act 162 of 2014. Act 162 addresses buffer requirements in Pennsylvania regulations found in 25 Pa Code Chapter 102. The amendment pertains to individual NPDES permit applications for Stormwater Discharges Associated with Construction Activities, administered by DEP. Act 162 became effective December 21, 2014.

DEP, as the agency responsible for implementing Act 162, is developing materials to assist the public in understanding and complying with the requirements of Act 162. These materials will be made available through this webpage as they are developed.

Additional Information

• Act 162 of 2014 (PDF) (unofficial copy)


• Riparian Buffer or Riparian Forest Buffer Equivalency Demonstration (PDF) - This technical guidance document was published as Interim Final in the March 21, 2015 edition of the Pa Bulletin (45 Pa.B. 1450). DEP accepted comments on this document during a 60-day public comment period concluding on May 20, 2015


• Riparian Buffer or Riparian Forest Buffer Offsetting Demonstration (PDF) - This technical document was published as Interim Final in the March 21, 2015 edition of the Pa Bulletin (45 Pa.B. 1450). DEP accepted comments on this document during a 60-day public comment period concluding on May 20, 2015.


• Implementation Plan for Act 162 of 2014 (PDF) - This technical guidance document was published as Interim Final in the December 20, 2014 edition of the Pa Bulletin (44 Pa.B. 7954). DEP accepted comments on this document during a 60-day public comment period concluding on February 18, 2015.


• DEP conducted two webinars concerning the Riparian Buffer or Riparian Forest Buffer Offsetting technical guidance document. Video files and materials from the webinar conducted on March 10, 2015, are available on the Office of Water Management's webinar archive.


• DEP conducted two webinars concerning the Riparian Buffer or Riparian Forest Buffer Equivalency Demonstration technical guidance document. Video files and materials from the webinar conducted on March 10, 2015, are available on the Office of Water Management's webinar archive.


• DEP conducted a webinar on the Implementation Plan for Act 162 on December 17, 2014. Video files and materials from the webinar are available on the Office of Water Management's webinar archive.


• Act 162 Implementation FAQs (PDF) (Last edited December 18, 2014)