TCEQ STEERS Is Down: How to File Your Texas SWPPP NOI Under the Episodic Waiver
TCEQ STEERS Is Down. Your SWPPP Doesn’t Have to Wait.
TCEQ’s online permitting portal is offline until roughly mid-November 2026. You can still get Construction General Permit coverage, break ground on schedule, and stay out of violation. Here is exactly how, under TCEQ’s Episodic Waiver.
Updated November 2, 2026 · Source: TCEQ STEERS outage notice (updated Oct 28, 2026)
What happened
Following a Governor’s directive dated September 21, 2026, TCEQ took the State of Texas Environmental Electronic Reporting System (STEERS) offline so agency staff can review every application tied to data centers before an authorization is issued. TCEQ is rebuilding STEERS to add that review step and expects the work to be finished in mid-November 2026. No firm return date has been published.
STEERS is where every Texas construction operator files the Notice of Intent (NOI) for coverage under the TPDES Construction General Permit TXR150000, and where industrial facilities renew Multi-Sector General Permit (TXR050000) coverage. With the portal down, those filings cannot be submitted online.
The Episodic Waiver: how to file while STEERS is offline
TCEQ created a temporary episodic waiver from electronic reporting for operators who cannot wait for STEERS to return. It covers new authorizations under three stormwater general permits:
| Permit | Who | Email your filing to |
|---|---|---|
| Construction General Permit TXR150000 | Construction sites disturbing 1+ acre | [email protected] |
| Multi-Sector General Permit TXR050000 | Industrial facilities (renewals too) | [email protected] |
| Concrete Production General Permit TXG110000 | Concrete batch plants | Per TCEQ’s outage notice |
In plain terms: instead of clicking Submit in STEERS, you email TCEQ the completed paper forms from the TCEQ forms database. For a large construction site (5+ acres) that means the NOI package. Small sites (1 to under 5 acres) never needed an NOI; they still need a SWPPP, the posted Small Construction Site Notice, and a copy sent to the MS4 operator, none of which depends on STEERS.
What has to be right in the email filing
- A complete, implemented SWPPP prepared before the NOI goes in. The NOI certifies the plan exists.
- The correct TCEQ NOI form, every field completed, signed by the operator’s authorized signatory.
- Operator, site and MS4 details that match the plan and the posted site notice exactly.
- The Large Construction Site Notice posted on site and a copy of the NOI sent to the MS4 operator, same as always.
- Keep the sent email and every attachment. That timestamped record is your proof of filing until TCEQ’s confirmation comes back.
Questions on the process go to TCEQ’s stormwater permitting team at [email protected]. TCEQ has not published fee or confirmation-turnaround details for waiver filings; expect them to be processed by hand and plan accordingly.
Industrial facilities: MSGP renewal deadline moved to December 28, 2026
Because of the outage, TCEQ extended the deadline for existing TXR050000 permittees to renew coverage under the 2026 MSGP to Monday, December 28, 2026. Renewal filings may be emailed under the same episodic waiver to [email protected]. If your facility is covered under the old MSGP, do not let that date slip; lapsed coverage is unpermitted discharge.
What this means for your project schedule
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Pro SWPPP prepares your CPESC-certified SWPPP, files your NOI under the episodic waiver today and re-files electronically the moment STEERS returns, posts your site notices and notifies the MS4. Delivered in 72 hours or it’s free.
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Frequently asked questions
Can I just wait for STEERS to come back?
Only if you can also wait to disturb soil. Coverage must be in place before land disturbance begins. If your schedule can slide past mid-November, waiting is legal. If it can’t, file by email.
Does the episodic waiver change what a SWPPP has to contain?
No. The permit requirements are unchanged: erosion and sediment controls, inspections every 14 days and within 24 hours of a half-inch rain (or every 7 days), stabilization of idle areas, record keeping. Only the filing channel changed.
Will my NOI filed by email show up in STEERS later?
TCEQ has said it will process waiver filings; it has not published how they will be reflected in STEERS. Keep your email record. We re-file electronically for every client the day the portal returns so the online record matches.
I only disturb 1 to 5 acres. Does any of this affect me?
Small construction sites never file an NOI, so the outage does not block your coverage. You still need the SWPPP written and implemented before work starts, the Small Construction Site Notice posted, and a copy sent to your MS4.
What about the Low Rainfall Erosivity Waiver?
The LREW (TCEQ Form 20064) is also a STEERS filing. Ask us; depending on your dates and location it may still be the cheapest route, and it can be filed under the same waiver process.