A Letter from Bob Wendelgass, PA Campaign for Clean Water

For the past several years, you have supported the PA Campaign for Clean Water’s effort to get at least 100 foot buffers required on all streams in Pennsylvania. We now have an opportunity to get 150 foot buffers required on all Exceptional Value and High Quality streams in our state. But we need your help to make sure this proposal is adopted.

DEP has proposed that 150 foot riparian buffers be required for new development on all EV (exceptional value) and HQ (high quality) streams as part of its changes to Chapter 102, the regulations dealing with stormwater and erosion and sediment control. 150 foot forested buffers would be required for any EV and JQ streams that are not currently meeting water quality standards. While we would prefer larger buffers and a requirement of buffers on all streams, what DEP is proposing is an important first step and we need to make sure it is approved.

The proposed changes still need to be approved by the Independent Regulatory Review Commission (IRRC) at its meeting on June 17. We are planning to send the IRRC a letter supporting DEP’s buffer proposal before their meeting to demonstrate strong support among the environmental and conservation communities. We expect that the builders will continue to oppose any buffers rule and will be lobbying the IRRC to reject DEP’s proposal. We will need strong support by conservation and watershed groups to overcome their opposition.

Requiring 150 foot buffers on our EV and HQ streams is an important step forward that will help reduce pollution, flood damage and streambank erosion. It will help reduce costs for stormwater management and drinking water treatment, and will increase the value of nearby properties. It will also help protect our multi-billion dollar tourism and fishing industries by protecting some of the best streams in our state. Finally, it will also be an important precedent, demonstrating that a buffer requirement is workable and benefits our streams and our communities. So, please help us get this important change adopted by signing onto the attached letter.

If you’d like to do more, feel free to also send your own comment directly to the IRRC. Comments may be emailed to irrc@irrc.state.pa.us, re Docket #2783, the Chapter 102 Regulations. They must be received before June 15 in order to be considered by the Commission.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at bwendelgass@cleanwater.org. Thanks again for all your support of our efforts in support of buffers on our state’s streams. Together we can take this important first step, protecting our state’s best streams, our environment and our economy!

Bob Wendelgass
PA Campaign for Clean Water

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More changes Afoot!

Although Chapter 102 regs have always had relevance to stormwater management in Pennsylvania, these proposed changes bring 102 regs into the core of Pennsylvania’s stormwater management program.  They include new elements which have been discussed heatedly in recent months, including the Permit-By-Rule (PBR) option and required stream buffers.  Follow this link to get the complete package, including what is proposed, with some PADEP commentary.

The pro-environment Pennsylvania Campaign for Clean Water (CCW) urges citizens and interested groups concerned about clean water to sign up and provide testimony at the public hearings hosted by DEP, starting this week.

From the PA Bulletin:

Public Meetings and Public Hearings

The Board will hold three public meetings to explain the proposed rulemaking and to respond to questions from meeting participants. In addition to the public meetings, the Board will hold three public hearings for the purpose of accepting comments on the proposed rulemaking. The public meetings and hearings will be held as follows:

September 29, 2009	Cranberry Township Municipal Building 2525 Rochester Road Cranberry Township, PA    16066-6499 Public Meeting: 4 p.m. Public Hearing: 5 p.m.
October 1, 2009	Department of Environmental Protection Southcentral Regional Office Susquehanna Room A 909 Elmerton Avenue Harrisburg, PA 17110 Public Meeting: 4 p.m. Public Hearing: 5 p.m.
October 5, 2009	Salisbury Township Municipal Building 2900 South Pike Avenue Allentown, PA 18103 Public Meeting: 4 p.m. Public Hearing: 5 p.m.

Persons wishing to present testimony at a hearing are requested to contact the Environmental Quality Board, P. O. Box 8477, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8477, (717) 787-4526, at least 1 week in advance of the hearing to reserve a time to present testimony. Oral testimony is limited to 10 minutes for each witness. Witnesses are requested to submit three written copies of their oral testimony to the hearing chairperson at the hearing. Organizations are limited to designating one witness to present testimony on their behalf at each hearing.

Persons in need of accommodations as provided for in the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 should contact the Board at (717) 787-4526 or through the Pennsylvania AT&T Relay Service at (800) 654-5984 (TDD) to discuss how the Board may accommodate their needs.

The CCW has assembled a summary package that provides background information as well as commentary on what is being proposed and will be developing more detailed recommendations in coming weeks.

Get the Proposed Ch 102 Regs here.

Get CCW Talking Points here.

We will all be living with the consequences of these changes for many years…

We’d love to hear from you in terms of pros and cons — and what you think needs further work.

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