From the Editors…
Stormwater management in Pennsylvania remains a confusing mess for many of us:
EPA developments are racing ahead through National Rulemaking:
- Remarkable new stormwater guidance for federal facilities.
- Possible new nationwide stormwater standards (new construction, etc.)
- Plus TMDLs
EPA’s major new Chesapeake Bay-specific requirements
- To be operationalized by each state’s Watershed Implementation Plans.
- Bay Executive Order requirements
- Plus TMDLs
- Pus MS4’s
- Plus Bay-related court determinations
DEP’s new statewide Chapter 102 regulations
DEP’s own implementation of federal programs:
- TMDL’s
- Phase II MS4’s
- Chesapeake Bay
What about the BMP Manual revision process?
How does the PA Act 167 program fit into all of this?
So much is happening on so many levels. In general, these efforts are well-intentioned, and some of them may be potentially very insightful and on the mark - significant steps forward.
But figuring out what is going to be required by whom has become something of a nightmare for Pennsylvania municipalities and other stormwater stakeholders. There are times when we’ve asked ourselves if we should turn to Vegas oddsmakers to figure out what’s next…
Early on, we at StormwaterPA vowed to make stormwater management clear (or clearer) and tell folks who needed to do what, when, and where. Though that promise might have been a bit premature, we’re going to mount a special effort here in coming weeks to at least attempt to chart out who is doing what in terms of regulations and relevant guidance, highlighting both adopted and proposed stormwater developments (at the moment, let’s call it a Road Map to Stormwater Regs). As we move through the process, following the array of issues listed above, we’ll try to map some of this out in a way that will facilitate understanding, and we’ll provide specific references and links to more detailed information sources. We’ll start with the basics and expand and add detail as we go along.
A couple of points to be made at the outset:
First, by definition, this Road Map will never be completed. Changes can be expected to continue (though surely the remarkable amount/rate of change that seems to be occurring will lessen!); the Road Map will require updating continuously.
Second, this effort needs input from you - readers, users, stakeholders. Let us know when our descriptions fail to match reality. DEP Central may tell us X; DEP Regional may be doing Y.
Lastly, to the extent that this effort manages to portray stormwater management programs with reasonable accuracy, we would hope that over time program inconsistencies will emerge, will be identified and made clear. Maybe even program changes and improvements will result. But we’re jumping ahead way too quickly!
Tell us what you think. And as always thanks for listening.
admin Stormwater Regulations Act 167, Chapter 102 regulations, Chesapeake Bay, Clean Water Act, MS4, NPDES, PA BMP Manual, PA DEP, stormwater legislation, stormwater management, stormwater runoff, stormwater standards, TMDL, US EPA
