Barbara Seal, Gwinnet County, GA

 

GA EPD has set a date for the Public Meeting/Hearing concerning the Final Draft Georgia Phase II Small MS4 Permit: 9:00 AM on October 16, 2017 at EPD's offices at 4244 International Parkway, Suite 114, Atlanta, GA 30354. This permit is applicable to 118 local governments and expected to be issued in December 2017. Georgia is the first state in Region 4 to rewrite an MS4 Phase II Permit after the resolution of the remand rule. As a result, permittees should take an active role in reviewing this permit for unintended consequences and technical concerns. Also, SESWA members should note that the Phase II Small MS4 Permit includes the same requirements found in the recently issued Medium Phase I Permit, such as: 1) a runoff reduction requirement to hold on-site the first 1.0 inch of runoff, 2) a requirement to protect trout streams from temperature elevations, 3) an option for local DOTs to determine the feasibility of implementing the runoff reduction requirement on linear projects. The runoff reduction requirement is triggered three years into the permit period, which allows the permittee to develop training programs for design engineers, plan reviewers, inspectors, etc. Review the new draft permit. To view comments or to continue the discussion, please login and visit the SESWA Community Forum.

SESWA Supports Stormwater Utilities

Laurie Hawks, Brown and Caldwell

Georgia SB 116, introduced during the 2017 legislative session, would have prohibited local governments from charging a stormwater utility fee on properties that had been designed to achieve control of runoff from the 25 year-24-hour storm event, as described in the Georgia Stormwater Management Manual. Passage of this, or a similar bill, would greatly undermine a Stormwater Utility's funding source and ability to address Stormwater quality and infrastructure issues. SB 116 did not pass out of committee; however the committee did pass SR 224, which created a study committee to review Stormwater Management Fees. A representative of SESWA will present on the value of Stormwater Utilities to the Study Committee, which has its first meeting scheduled for 10:00 AM in Empire Rooms 1&2, at The Classic Center, 300 N. Thomas Street Athens, Georgia on October 6, 2017. A public comment period is included on the agenda and Georgia members are encouraged to attend if they are able. For more information contact Steve Leo, Gwinnett County. To view the full article or to continue the discussion, please visit the SESWA Community Forum.

Jeff Corley, City of Concord, NC

 

The MS6 program became available through the NC Division of Environmental Quality on July 1, 2017. This voluntary "Sustainability Strategies" program allows permit holders to evaluate their program performance as well as assist in improving overall permit compliance. To learn more about the MS6 program, visit the NCDEQ MS6 project page.

Peter E. Yakimowich, PE, Vaughn & Melton

 

Following the success of the Home Builders Association (HBA) efforts to push for revisions in Tennessee's NPDES Phase 2 Stormwater Permit, the battle shifted to the City of Chattanooga with the HBA seeking relief from post-construction requirements based on economic hardship. In response, a draft ordinance was prepared by staff that addresses retention standards. While the retention requirements remained as the first option, only non-economic hardship exemptions could be considered. The first options are paying a mitigation fee, detention and treatment of a 2.1 inch rainfall event through green infrastructure facilities, or filtration of a 3.1 inch rainfall event using an approved propriety device for 80% TSS removal. The draft ordinance also rolled back the 1.6 inch retention requirement for S. Chickamauga Creek, although the Stormwater Board upheld the special requirement when sending a revised draft ordinance to the City Council for approval. It is expected that the HBA will make the same arguments in front of the Council. Stay tuned.