Volume 21, Issue 7
August 2019
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In This Issue
A Message from Your President
Kelli Hammer Levy
I am very honored to serve as your President this year. As a long-term member of FSA, it is great to see how the Association has grown and adapted to new challenges. FSA is an incredible organization because of what each of you bring to it; your knowledge, experience, enthusiasm, and ethic to make our communities and our state a better place.

As your President, there are several goals I would like us to focus on over the course of the year:
  • Supporting the Leadership Committee in identifying and engaging future leaders for committees and the Board,
  • Keeping members engaged and informed through a variety of communication platforms,
  • Planning and providing conferences and workshops that are at the leading edge of stormwater issues,
  • Increasing membership with a focus on diversity, and
  • Protecting our interests through effective legislative and agency relations.
Upcoming issues of the newsletter will include updates from your Committee Chairs that will lay out their committee's objectives and planned activities. We are lucky as an association to have great involvement across all the committees. I believe this is reflective of the commitment of our membership and the efforts of the Leadership Committee and our management staff in encouraging active participation. To all committee members, each of you contributes to the Association's success through the work of the committees. Please help your Committee Chairs deliver on their action plan for the year. We truly appreciate your involvement and willingness to serve.

I hope to see you at the Fall Seminar and Winter Conference in Tampa and the Annual Conference in Sanibel next June. If you have not experienced FSA's exemplary training programs, please consider sending your employees to the Training Center classes or consider hosting a class at your facility. To our program regulars, thank you for your commitment to continuous improvement and employee engagement.

As stormwater management in Florida continues to evolve, we are fortunate to have all of you to help inform and guide us. We will continue to host seminars and conferences that encourage innovation and solution-oriented conversations and provide vendors who can showcase their emerging products and technologies. Above all, FSA is a team - the Board, the management staff, and you! Thank you for being a member of FSA and for your commitment to this amazing organization.
Kelli Hammer Levy, Pinellas County
FSA President
FSA Membership Renewal Now Open!
Keep your membership current and don't miss any of the great member services that are available to ALL of the employees in your organization!  First renewal notices for FSA's 2019-20 fiscal year were sent in mid-August by mail and email to the primary membership contact for your organization, allowing local government members to pay next year's dues with remaining funds from the current fiscal year.  If you are the primary contact for your organization, keep an eye on your inbox for renewal emails from FSA!  Questions?  Call us at (888) 221-3124.
Fall Seminar - September 13, 2019
FSA's Fall Seminar is right around the corner!  This year's Seminar will be held in Tampa and focus on Stormwater Maintenance of BMPs. The program will draw on the expertise of multiple professionals across Florida who are responsible for stormwater BMP maintenance to provide insights on ways to improve your approach to stormwater maintenance. Visit the FSA Seminar webpage for more information, including the agenda, registration fees and to register online.
Blue-Green Algae Task Force
The fourth meeting of FDEP's Blue-Green Algae Task Force scheduled for August 30, 2019 in Gainesville, FL has been postponed until future notice due to Hurricane Dorian.  Details of the rescheduled meeting will be released as a soon as it becomes available and will be posted to the Task Force webpage.  Among other things, the meeting's focus will include stormwater programs. Stay tuned for a new meeting date, as all FSA members are encouraged to attend the meetings of the Task Force and you may view the status of algal bloom sampling statewide on FDEP's Algal Bloom webpage.
Biosolids Rulemaking
FDEP is moving ahead with updates to its existing biosolids permitting rules.  Three workshops on the first draft of a revised biosolids permitting rule were held in June.  The comment period on the draft rules was extended to August 15th.  See FSA's comments.  For more information, visit the Department's Biosolids webpage or contact Kristin Gousse.
Triennial Review Underway
The CWA requires states to review their surface water quality standards every three years.  All surface water quality standards may be revised as part of the Triennial Review process, such as waterbody classifications, water quality criteria, site specific criteria, anti-degradation policy and policy on Outstanding Florida Waters. FDEP has initiated its 2019 Triennial Review of state surface water quality standards and three initial workshops/hearings were held in May.  Look for more information on the process from FDEP in September or October.  Suggested revisions to standards may be provided to Kaitlyn Sutton at FDEP.  Public workshops will be held on final recommendations and it is hoped to have the recommendations presented to the Florida Environmental Regulation Commission for approval by the end of the year.
2020 Session Dates Set
The next Legislative Session begins Tuesday, January 14, 2020 and is scheduled to end on Friday, March 13, 2020. Prior to the start of the Session, the following dates for Interim Committee meetings have been scheduled:

Date
 Event
September 16-20, 2019
 Interim Committee Week 1
September 16, 2019
 FY 2020-21 Agency Legislative Budget Requests due
October 14-18, 2019
 Interim Committee Week 2
October 21-25, 2019
 Interim Committee Week 3
November 4-8, 2019
 Interim Committee Week 4
November 12-15, 2019
 Interim Committee Week 5
December 9-13, 2019
 Interim Committee Week 6
January 14, 2020
 Regular Session convenes
March 13, 2020
 60th day - last day of Regular Session
Phase 2 Permit Revisions
FDEP has released a preliminary draft proposal updating the 2003 General Permit for Phase 2 MS4s.  It is hoped that formal rulemaking will be initiated later this year.  The draft proposal is being reviewed by FSA's Legislative and Agency Relations Committee.  Please contact FSA immediately if you have comments on the proposal.
WOTUS
While the Court could issue a ruling at any time, there have been no new developments in FSA's challenge to the 2015 WOTUS rules in the US District Court for the Northern District of Florida.  FSA filed a Motion for Summary Judgement in March as a precautionary measure in the event that the 2015 WOTUS rule is eventually upheld by another court or the Trump Administration's efforts to repeal/replace the rule are unsuccessful.  Visit FSA's Advocacy Page for more information.
Winter Conference - Registration Opening Soon!
Mark your calendars now. The Winter Conference will be held December 4-6th at the Hilton Tampa Downtown and registration will open September 9th.  The conference will bring together stormwater professionals throughout the state to address a number of stormwater subjects relevant in Florida today.  The optional Pre-Conference events will include a stormwater projects tour in Tampa and a "Improving Water Quality with Green Infrastructure and Low Impact Development" workshop. Register early to secure your space at this can't miss event!
Fogarty Training Center - Don't Let Your Certification Expire!
The last opportunity to renew a Level 1 or Level 2 certification this year will be through online webinars held on November 5, 2019. FSA Stormwater Operator Certifications must be renewed every five years. The Fogarty Training Center offers Online Recertification Webinars that provide a convenient, cost-effective way to renew your certification. Don't know when your certification expires? To find out you can login to your personal FSA profile, scroll down to find your Level 1 and/or Level 2 expiration year or you can view the Stormwater Operator Certification Renewal Date List on the FSA Website. For more information, visit the Fogarty Training Center's recertification webpage. Attendees must register by September 27th to receive the Stormwater Operator Manual prior to the webinar.
Establishing Stormwater Utilities in Florida
Communities looking to supplement or fund their stormwater management program are encouraged to order FSA's Manual for Establishing a Stormwater Utility in Florida.  It was prepared to assist communities that are considering developing and implementing a stormwater utility.  The Manual has helped citizens, elected officials, and city or county administrators and staff understand the issues, benefits and community investment associated with stormwater utilities.  The Manual was originally published in 1998 and was revised in 2003 and 2013.  Order your copy today!
FSA Career Center
FSA's Career Center is the perfect place to post your latest position vacancies!  FSA members can post on the Career Center for free for 30 days and reach qualified stormwater professionals across the state of Florida.  Job seekers can easily find new jobs within their profession in their area.  Visit the Career Center to post a job announcement or to search for open positions.
We appreciate your feedback!  Please don't hesitate to contact us if have any questions about FSA. 
Sincerely,
Florida Stormwater Associati on
Website: www.florida-stormwater.org
Toll-Free Phone: 888-221-3124