Volume 22, Issue 7
August 2020
NEWSLETTER SPONSORS



 







In This Issue
2020-21 Board of Directors & Committees 
Thank you to the volunteer leaders of FSA! The 2020 Annual Membership Meeting and Elections were postponed until June 2021.  To help ensure continuity in leadership, your Board of Directors unanimously agreed to add a year to their term.  When asked if they would be willing to serve an additional year, we heard back from all 20 members within the hour. Remarkable! This group of professionals works tirelessly giving their time and talent to the Association. On behalf of FSA, thank you for your service!

FSA's 2020-21 Officers are:

- Kelli Hammer Levy (Pinellas County) - President

- Elliot Shoberg (City of Clearwater) - Vice President 

- Liz Perez (Collective Water Resources) - Secretary-Treasurer


We would also like to thank the 60+ individuals that have volunteered to serve on the four FSA programmatic committees. We look forward to working with you and appreciate your willingness to serve.

Leading these Committees are:

- Melanie Weed (Pinellas County) - Conference

- Melissa Long (City of Jacksonville) - Education

- Lisa Henry (City of Orlando) - Membership

- Mark Thomasson (WSource Group) - Legislative/Agency Rel

 

Visit our website for a complete list of the Board of Directors and Committee members.
Membership Renewals Started Early
We understand that these are challenging times. With this in mind, we are extending the deadline for dues payments through the end of the first quarter for fiscal year 2020-21. This year's invoice will reflect a January 31st deadline. Remember, FSA's membership includes ALL of the employees in your organization so for one fee, everyone has access to FSA's services!

First renewal notices for FSA's 2020-21 fiscal year were sent the last week of July by mail and email.  Notices went 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 - Impacts of Sediment on Water Quality 
Join us online September 18, 2020 for FSA's Fall Seminar focusing on the Impacts of Sediment on Water Quality.  Sediment is one of the most common pollutants entering Florida waters.  Sediment transport can impact receiving waters by reducing sunlight penetration, blanketing aquatic vegetation, and carrying other pollutants such as nutrients and metals.  This Seminar will address the effects of sediment on water quality and provide an overview of dredging methods and techniques used to remove excess sediments from aquatic systems.

In addition, the Seminar will provide case study examples on prevention by maintaining the MS4 system; how to determine access points for dredging projects; recommendations for proper reuse and disposal; permitting requirements; and how to get BMAP credits from dredging and street sweeping projects. The online Seminar will feature a full day of education, up to 5.5 continuing education credits, live Q&A, prizes, and more! Visit the FSA Seminar webpage for details and to Register Today!

Thank you to our Education Sponsors!








SB 712 - Environmental Resource Management 
The Governor signed SB 712 into law on June 30, 2020.  SB 712 was the primary water resources legislation passed during the 2020 Session.  The bill contained several sections affecting water policy and programs in Florida, including permitting of biosolids disposal sites, updating the statewide design criteria for stormwater systems, transferring the OSTDS program from FDOH to FDEP, and examining the "10/2" General Permit.  More information on several sections of this bill may be found in this edition of the newsletter and on the FSA Advocacy page.
Blue Green Algae Task Force
The Blue Green Algae Task Force (BGATF) met via Zoom on July 29, 2020.  A large part of the BGATF meeting's agenda was devoted to discussing ambient water quality criteria and swimming advisories for cyanotoxins as recommended by a May 2019 EPA Report.  FSA's testimony during the meeting and also in subsequent FSA written comments urged the Task Force to limit its recommendations to those relating to human health and related health advisory notices, as MS4s do not discharge cyanotoxins and there already are criteria for nutrients, believed to be one root cause of blue-green algae blooms.  Adding a specific water quality criterion for cyanotoxins would add confusion and unnecessary expense to Florida's TMDL and BMAP programs. 
Triennial Review of WQ Standards
FDEP has now resumed its Triennial Review of Water Quality Standards. The effort was initiated in May 2019 as states are required by the Clean Water Act to conduct a comprehensive review of water quality standards every three years.  Among other things, FDEP had been waiting to receive input from the BGATF on cyanotoxins (see above article) and an August 18th meeting of stakeholders to comment on proposed turbidity criterion for coral reefs.  Contact Daryll Joyner at FDEP for further information.  A workshop on the Triennial Review process and status is being planned for FSA's Winter Conference.
Delegation of Dredge and Fill Permitting to FDEP
FDEP sent EPA a package of documents necessary for Florida to assume responsibility to administer the dredge and fill permitting program under Section 404 of the CWA.  Section 404 and implementing rules require a dredge-and-fill permit from the Army Corps for any activity that results in the discharge of dredged or fill material into the waters of the United States.  Florida Statutes contain similar policies for activities that impact wetlands or other surface waters located within the jurisdictional boundaries of the State. Currently, when a project impacts state and federal jurisdictional wetlands or other surface waters, the applicant must obtain both a state environmental resource permit (ERP) and a Corps dredge-and-fill (404) permit.  Assumption of the program by FDEP would alleviate the need to obtain 404 permits from the Corps in some situations.  If the proposal is approved, the Corps would retain authority to issue permits only for projects that impact major ("navigable") waterbodies; authority for other types of waters would be delegated to FDEP/WMDs.  In either case, an ERP permit would still be required.  If EPA determines the application to be complete, a notice will be published in the Federal Register, initiating a 120-day review period.  For more information, visit FDEP's Rule Development webpage or contact Heather Mason at FDEP.  
SB 410 Vetoed
Governor DeSantis vetoed SB 410 on June 30, 2020.  Originally filed as a land use planning bill, SB 410 was amended on the Senate floor late in the Session to include a provision preempting the decisions made by the electorate in some charter counties providing that development standards protecting water quality and the environment applied countywide.  The electorate in about half of Florida's 20 charter counties had approved such provisions.  While that provision of SB 410 was likely unconstitutional, the Governor's veto embraced sound public policy and avoided needless litigation.  FSA requested that SB 410 be vetoed, as did several other organizations and individual counties.  
WOTUS Litigation 
The judge overseeing FSA's challenge to the 2015 WOTUS rules has placed the litigation in abeyance, unless and until litigation on the 2020 WOTUS "Replacement Rule" is resolved.  FSA did not object to the Court's action.  If upheld in court, the 2020 Replacement Rule supplants the 2015 rule.  But at last count, there were more than 11 lawsuits challenging the 2020 rule and there has yet to be a discernable change in permitting policy in Florida due to the new regulations. 
Winter Conference - Registration Opening Soon!
We are excited to introduce FSA's 2020 Winter Conference to be held online from December 1-4, 2020.  FSA is Florida's greatest source for stormwater education.  The conference will host an array of workshops to meet all of your continuing education needs including Laws, Rules and Ethics for Professional Engineers, the biennial FDEP Day and two days of workshops addressing issues facing Florida's stormwater community. Registration will open in September.  Mark your calendars now so you don't miss out!
FSA Career Center
FSA's Career Center has always been the perfect place to post vacancies or search for jobs. Now it is also the perfect place to post your resume! Job seekers can now post their resumes for free for 30 days and FSA members can find the right stormwater professionals to fill their vacancies. FSA members can still post jobs on the Career Center for free for 30 days. Visit the Career Center to post a job announcement, post a resume or search for open positions.
FSA's Fogarty Training Center - Online Training thru December 31st
FSA will continue to host Stormwater Operator Level 1 and Level 2 classes online through the end of the year. Don't miss out on this important stormwater certification program. 
 
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Stormwater Operator Level 1 Certification
Stormwater Operator Level 2 CertificationVisit the Fogarty Training Center's Level 1 or Level 2 pages for details.
2020 is Flying By - Don't Let Your Certification Expire!
The last opportunity in 2020 to renew your Stormwater Operator Certification for Level 1 and Level 2 is November 3, 2020. 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 October 2nd 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!
We appreciate your feedback!  Please don't hesitate to contact us if have any questions about FSA. 
Sincerely,
Florida Stormwater Association
Website: www.florida-stormwater.org
Toll-Free Phone: 888-221-3124