April 2003 Meeting Abstract
Following the student presentations, the main presentation will be "NPDES Phase II Compliance and Best Management Practices" presented by Mr. Steven Taylor, P.E., Senior Environmental Engineer with Ecology and Environment, Inc.
What is EPA's Storm Water Phase II Final Rule?
The storm water compliance program in the United States was promulgated by the Clean Water Act (CWA) in 1990, through the development of the Storm Water Phase I program. The Phase I program required medium and large municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s) to obtain tional Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits to address storm water runoff pollution prevention. The Storm Water Phase II Final Rule (Phase II), published in December 1999, is an expansion of Phase I that requires additional operators of small MS4s in urbanized areas and small construction sites to implement programs and practices to control polluted storm water runoff.
The Phase II program includes State and Federal facilities. As a requirement to be covered under the Phase II permit, a storm water program must be developed (or an existing program expanded) to address the six elements required by the Phase II general permit. These elements are termed "minimum control measures" and are outlined below:
* Public Education and Outreach--Distributing educational materials and performing community outreach to inform residents and community members about the impacts of polluted storm water runoff discharges on water quality.
* Public Participation/Involvement--Providing opportunities for community members to participate in storm water management program development and implementation, including effectively publicizing public hearings and encouraging citizen representation on a storm water management working group.
* Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination--Developing and implementing a plan to detect and eliminate illicit discharges to the storm sewer system (i.e., inflow study and rehabilitation plan), including informing the community about the hazards associated with illegal discharges and improper disposal of wastes.
* Construction Site Runoff Control--Developing, implementing, and enforcing an erosion and sedimentation control program for construction activities that disturb 1 or more acres of land.
* Post-Construction Runoff Control--Developing, implementing, and enforcing a program to address discharges of post-construction storm water runoff from new development and redevelopment areas. Applicable controls include preventative actions such as protecting sensitive areas (i.e., wetlands) or the use of designed structural best management practices (BMPs) such as grassed swales or porous pavement.
* Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping--Developing and implementing a program (or expanding an existing program) with the goal of preventing or reducing pollutant runoff from municipal (residential, commercial, and industrial) operations. The program must include staff training on pollution prevention measures and techniques (e.g., regular street sweeping, reduction of pesticide and street salt use, or frequent catch basin cleaning).
This presentation will provide a brief history of the NPDES program, a detailed description of the new Phase II rule, and the applicable requirements for those regulated entities. In addition, discussion of storm water Best Management Practices and construction site runoff controls will be presented.
Steve Taylor graduated from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry with a B.S. degree in Forest Engineering. He is a registered professional environmental engineer in New York and has worked for Ecology and Environment for over 10 years. With E & E, Steve has a broad base of experience including solid and hazardous waste design, domestic and industrial wastewater evaluation and design, and storm water management. Most of his current project work involves storm water management and compliance for the Department of Defense. Steve is an active birder and hunter and enjoys the outdoors. He and his wife, Stacy, live in Alden with their two children, Benjamin and Abigail.
We look forward to seeing you on the 16th!
Francine Cohen
BAPG Executive Vice-President