As noted in previous posts, PADEP has organized an effort to revise its BMP Manual (released December 2006).  A Manual Revision Committee was formed and as a result of a meeting in September, 9 sub-groups were formed and assigned specific topics.

The sub-groups have been meeting during the Fall.  Some controversy has emerged regarding this revision process, leading PADEP to reduce its direct sponsorship of its process. Nevertheless, the Revision Committee and sub-groups are meeting again today (Dec. 15) at the South Central PADEP Regional Office to summarize and review sub-group findings and determine future actions.

We will report next week on the outcomes.

admin BMP Manual Revision clean water, PA BMP Manual, PA DEP, state water plan, stormwater best management practices, stormwater legislation, water quality, watershed protection, wet weather

The Chesapeake Bay constitutes the largest watershed in Pennsylvania and by a large measure - without going into a major treatise on pollutant loading - it is fair to say that nonpoint source pollutant loads (as well as point source loads) originating in Pennsylvania are of major importance to water quality and the overall health of the Bay.

Tom Schueler’s Chesapeake Stormwater Network (CSN) recently released its First Annual Bay-wide Stormwater Performance Scorecard 2009, a comprehensive evaluation of stormwater management program efforts in the 5 states tributary to the Bay (District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia).  Although some progress has occurred, the general sense of the Scorecard is depressing, reflecting the array of water quality monitoring reports that have emerged in recent months showing lack of progress.

Overall, says the report, the Bay states are not fully utilizing their existing regulatory programs to improve the quantity and quality of runoff generated from existing urban lands, despite the fact that most of these programs have been in place for a decade or longer.

So, how does Pennsylvania fare?

Ratings are made across 10 management tools or measures deemed most significant by the Network:

• stormwater permits for larger communities
• stormwater permits for smaller communities
• updated stormwater regulations
• stormwater manuals/technical guidance
• state outreach to municipalities
• public outreach
• industrial stormwater permitting
• construction stormwater permitting
• permitting compliance/enforcement
• and state and local stormwater management financing.

Pennsylvania rates very poorly, achieving the lowest Overall Grade of all five states (though Maryland isn’t much better).  Just as painful is the “absolute value” of its grade, D, which is about as close to flunking as you can get!

Highlights:

• Pennsylvania scored especially poorly (Fs) in the Public Outreach and State/Local Financing categories,
• got a D- in both Permit Enforcement and Construction Permits,
• and received Ds in both Stormwater Permits for Smaller Communities and MS4 Outreach.
• Pennsylvania’s only high grade (B) came in the Stormwater Manual category.

Recent weekly blogs here have reported on PADEPs ongoing efforts to undertake revisions to its Pennsylvania Stormwater BMP Manual, an effort which many environmental organizations including the Pennsylvania Campaign for Clean Water worry will reduce the rigor and effectiveness of stormwater management designs across the state.

Even more sobering is the fact that all of this evaluation for the Scorecard has been undertaken many months before the latest round of PADEP budgetary cutbacks, the general sense of which will make stormwater management weaker in Pennsylvania.

The Scorecard Report is an easy 20 page read and sets the stage for the increasingly rigorous legislation relating to the Bay coming out of Washington and EPA. We’ll discuss what’s being proposed and the implications for Pennsylvania, in future weeks.

Download the pdf report here.

As always, we welcome your comments, so please be sure to let us know what you think!

admin Chesapeake Bay BMPs, Chesapeake Bay, clean water, MS4, NPDES, PA BMP Manual, PA DEP, stormwater legislation

Representatives from member organizations comprising the Pennsylvania Campaign for Clean Water met last week at Dickinson College to review accomplishments during 2009 and set strategy for the Campaign for the coming year.

Though some limited successes were noted in working with PADEP on a variety of fronts, the consensus was that continued advocacy on the part of the Campaign is of increasing importance.  Focus areas will continue to be:

• issues surrounding gas extraction in the Marcellus Shale
• riparian buffers
• stormwater management (including Chapter 102 regulations, the MS4 General Permit, revising the BMP Manual)
• stream re-classification to Special Protection status
• and possibly new sub-groups yo address other concerns.

If you or your organization is interested in joining the Campaign, contact Anne Misak in Clean Water Action’s (Clean Water Fund ) Philadelphia office at 215-545-0250, or amisak@cleanwater.org

admin General buffers, clean water, gas drilling, gas extraction, Marcellus Shale, MS4, PA BMP Manual, special protection waters, stormwater, stormwater legislation, stormwater runoff, water quality, watershed protection

The Center is pilot testing a Circuit Rider Network approach to providing technical support to local governments in Maryland and Virginia working to address water quality goals for local waterways and the Chesapeake Bay.

Recognizing the diverse needs, interests, and resources of the hundreds of local governments in the Bay watershed, as well as the challenges of meeting water quality goals, the goal of the Circuit Rider Network is to create a group of technical service providers that can assist local governments in meeting those goals.

Over the next year the Center will be working with elected officials in priority areas to create watershed plans, evaluate codes and ordinances, design and implement stormwater best management practices (BMPs), as well as other technical services to address Chesapeake Bay goals.  Understanding that the Center cannot possibly work with all of the local governments at one time, informative programs will be developed that are designed for the larger audience of local government leaders and elected officials.  These programs will be designed to provide leaders with information and skills to move towards improved water quality and eventually lead to a greater level of involvement.  The Center, along with project partners and state agencies, is currently identifying priority areas for on-the ground-support.

For more information, contact the Center for Watershed Protection.

We Wonder:

• Would something like this make sense for Pennsylvania municipalities?
• If you are a municipal official, would you be willing to cover some level of cost to support Network services in your municipality?

Let us Know What you Think!

admin Chesapeake Bay BMPs, Chesapeake Bay, ordinances, stormwater best management practices, water quality, watershed plans, watershed protection, zoning codes

The Montgomery County Conservation District web site offers several Do-It-Yourself Rain Collection projects.  Check out their information on making rain barrels and rain gardens.

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation has created a tool to help you Measure Your Bay Footprint so you can compare your nitrogen footprint with the average in the Chesapeake Watershed. Visit CBFs Nitrogen Calculator.

From The Journal of Hydrologic Engineering: Is Impervious Cover Still Important? A review by Tom Schueler, Lisa Fraley-McNeil, and Karen Capiella of recent research on the Impervious Cover Model (ICM) shows that research since 2003 has confirmed the basic premise of the ICM–but has also revealed important caveats.  For the abstract and the full article, go here.

The Villanova Urban Stormwater Partnership web site continues its updates on Stormwater BMP research.  Go to the site.

Upcoming Events

December 15 - Online webcast on Erosion/Sediment Control, sponsored by the Center for Watershed Protection.  Begins at 12:00 noon.  Get details here.

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS due January 8, 2010: 2010 International Conference on Stormwater and Urban Water Systems February 18-19, 2010. Toronto Airport Hilton, Toronto, ON. Organized by Computational Hydraulics International. Details are available here.

Start Planning now for the 2010 International Low Impact Development Conference, April 11-14, 2010. Westin Airport Hotel, San Francisco, CA. Final Papers are due from presentors December 17, 2009. Details available here.

admin Weekly News BMPs, Chesapeake Bay, erosion and sediment control, impervious cover model, LID, rain barrels, rain garden, rainwater collection, stormwater best management practices