South Central Pennsylvania MS4 Phase II Community Forum

Transcription

1 South Central Pennsylvania MS4 Phase II Community Forum Minimum Control Measure (MCM) #1 Public Education & Outreach (PEOP) Minimum Control Measure (MCM) #2 Public Involvement & Participation (PIPP) Environmental Finance Center (EFC) Workshop Farm & Home Center Lancaster, PA March 14, 2013

2 Background Federal regulations require municipalities designated to obtain a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit (Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Permit) to develop and implement a Stormwater Management Program (SWMP) addressing six (6) Minimum Control Measures (MCMs): 1. Public Education & Outreach (PEOP) 2. Public Involvement & Participation (PIPP) 3. Illicit Discharge Detection & Elimination 4. Construction Site Stormwater Runoff Control 5. Post-Construction Stormwater Runoff Control 6. Good Housekeeping In Pennsylvania, the General MS4 Permit is also known as PAG-13.

3 EPA Final Rules Relative to Public Education & Outreach (PEOP) and the corresponding Municipal SWMP Implement a public education program to distribute educational materials to the community, or conduct equivalent outreach activities about the impacts of stormwater discharges on local waterbodies and the steps that can be taken to reduce stormwater pollution; and Determine the appropriate best management practices (BMPs) and measurable goals for this minimum control measure. Measurable goals, which are required for each minimum control measure, are intended to gauge permit compliance and program effectiveness.

4 EPA Final Rules Relative to Public Involvement & Participation (PIPP) and the corresponding Municipal SWMP Comply with applicable State, Tribal, and local public notice requirements; and Determine the appropriate best management practices (BMPs) and measurable goals for this minimum control measure.

5 MS4 Permit: MCM#1 BMPs (Summary) PAG-13 requires implementation and facilitation of four (4) BMPs under MCM #1 for the municipal SMWP BMP #1 Develop, implement, and maintain a written Public Education & Outreach Program (PEOP). Measureable Goal(s) 1. Re-evaluate each permit year and revise as needed 2. Achieve measurable improvements in the target audience s understanding of the causes and impacts of stormwater pollution and the steps they can take to prevent it. BMP #2 Develop and maintain lists of target audience groups that are present within the areas served by your regulated small MS4s. Measurable Goal: 1. Review and update list(s) annually

6 MS4 Permit: MCM#1 BMPs (Summary) Cont d PAG-13 requires implementation and facilitation of four (4) BMPs under MCM #1 for the municipal SMWP BMP #3 Annually publish at least one issue of a newsletter, a pamphlet, flyer, or website that includes general stormwater educational information, a general description of your SWMP, and/or information about your stormwater management activities. Measurable Goal 1. Review, update, and maintain content and items published annually. BMP #4 Distribute stormwater educational materials and/or information to the target audiences using a variety of distribution methods including, but not limited to: displays, posters, pamphlets, local cable TV, bill stuffers, meetings, fact sheets, and so on. Measurable Goal 1. Select and utilize at least two (2) distribution methods each permit year (in addition to the provisions of BMP #3)

7 MS4 Permit: MCM#2 BMPs (Summary) PAG-13 requires implementation and facilitation of three (3) BMPs under MCM #2 for the municipal SMWP BMP #1 Develop, implement, and maintain a written Public Involvement & Participation Program (PIPP). Measureable Goal(s) 1. Re-evaluate each permit year and revise as needed 2. Your PIPP shall include, but not limited to: a) opportunities for the public to participate in the decision-making processes associated with your SWMP and MS4 Permit, b) Methods of routine communication to various groups such as watershed associations, environmental organizations, and so on; and c) Making your periodic (or annual) reports available to the public. BMP #2 Provide public notice and opportunities for public review and feedback prior to adoption of any ordinance required by the MS4 Permit. Measurable Goal: 1. Ordinance advertisement 2. Document public input and feedback by the municipality

8 MS4 Permit: MCM#2 BMPs (Summary) Cont d PAG-13 requires implementation and facilitation of three (3) BMPs under MCM #2 for the municipal SMWP BMP #3 Regularly solicit public involvement and participation from the target audience groups. Assist the public in their efforts to help implement your SWMP. Conduct public meetings to discuss the on-going implementation of your SWMP. Measurable Goal(s): 1. Conduct at least one (1) public meeting per year to solicit public involvement and participation from target audience groups. 2. Document and report instances of cooperation and participation in your activities. 3. Document and report activities in which members of the public assisted or participated in your meetings and the implementation of your SWMP.

9 Program Development Considerations NPDES is focused on water quality Baseline (for measuring effectiveness) Financials (Maximum Extent Practicable) Chesapeake Bay TMDL (Nutrient and Sediment Reductions) Chesapeake Bay Pollutant Reduction Plan (CBPRP) Local impaired waterways and TMDLs EPA recognizes that there are challenges associated with public involvement. Nevertheless, EPA strongly believes that these challenges can be addressed through an aggressive and inclusive program.

10 Program Effectiveness Considerations Iterative process Documentation Progress monitoring (against baseline) Quantification: measurable reductions in nutrients and sediment Measurable improvements to waterways (e.g. impairments removed or TMDL achieved) Consider community approach for all components of SWMP and stormwater management

11 Lititz Run Watershed Restoration - on-going since 1995

12 Healthy Watershed Tour

13 Create a customized tour for your organization. Contact Mark Gutshall at mark@landstudies.com or call Healthy Watershed Tour

14 QUESTIONS/COMMENTS Michael T. LaSala LandStudies, Inc. 315 North Street Lititz, PA

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16 Informing & Engaging Your Community; Lancaster County Example Presented by Matthew W. Kofroth Watershed Coordinator Lancaster County Conservation District

17 Conewago Chiques Little Chiques Cocalico Conestoga Donegal Brandywine Susquehanna Pequea Little Conestoga Lancaster County Watersheds Mill Conowingo Octoraro

18 Lancaster County has over 1,400 miles of streams 690 Miles 288 (47%) Miles are (20%) rated are in as either Impaired rated Exceptional Streams or Non- Value or High Attaining Quality

19 Chiques Lititz Run Conestoga (completion date,??) Conewago UNT s Mill Muddy Run Donegal Pequea Total Maximum Daily Load Watersheds Conowingo Octoraro (completion date, 2013)

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21 watersheds.org/ education.php

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23 Watershed Forums

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25 Lititz Run WA Chiques Cr. WA Hammer Cr. WA Furnace/Segloch Run WA Cocalico Cr. WA Tri-County Conewago Cr. Assoc. Millcreek Preservation Assoc. Conoy Creek WA Donegal Fish & Conservation Assoc. Paradise Sportsman Assoc. Columbia Boro. WA Little Conestoga WA Pequea Cr. WA Watershed Associations Friends of Fishing Cr. WA Octoraro WA

26 Watershed Group Education

27 Unique Opportunities

28 Watersheds With Plans

29 Municipal Education

30 Case Study: Chiques Cr. Watershed Alliance

31 Stream Restoration Projects

32 Matthew W. Kofroth, Watershed Coordinator Lancaster County Conservation District Farm & Home Center 1383 Arcadia Rd., Room #200 Lancaster, PA (717) ext 124

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35 Implementing Lancaster s Green Infrastructure plan: a Public/Private partnership

36 URBAN GREENING INITIATIVE Began with: Rain barrel workshops (partnership with Lancaster County Conservation District) Green roof project (partnership with Lancaster County Planning Commission) Evolved to become Urban Watershed Initiative

37 HOW WE WORK TOGETHER Communication: bi-weekly meetings, core team Shared workload: identifying projects, securing funding Do what we do best: City of Lancaster: design, manage construction process, overall oversight LIVE Green: community education and outreach to property owners RESULTS SO FAR: $10M secured for construction of over 100 projects eliminating 40M gallons of CSO in three years.

38 HOW WE DO OUTREACH RESIDENTIAL Door-to-door Neighborhood meetings to review concepts (e.g., parks) COMMERCIAL Individual Meetings Letter of Commitment/Landowner Agreement (critical) ALL: Keep It Simple. Explain Problem. Proposed Solution. Opportunity. Next Steps

39 GREEN ALLEYS - PRIVATE Outreach to all property owners Facilitate community meetings for property owners Explain to them why the City is implementing a green alley program Develop buy in Have them sign a landowner agreement and contribute matching funds

40 FRANKLIN TERRACE Owned by Lancaster City Housing Authority 40 street trees planted; 1 acre riparian buffer Increase current canopy from 32% - 52% - model community for canopy increase Funding from Alcoa and TreeVitalize

41 WOLF MUSEUM WESTLAWN W CHESTNUT ST Museum and private property owner approached LIVE Green with joint GI project Capture approx gallons in a 1 rain storm via rain barrels and rain garden First public demonstration site for residential scale rain garden in Lancaster City Matching funds from neighbor. Looking for small grant $7500

42 GEORGE WASHINGTON ELEMENTARY Community School Garden Teachers, Principal, Parents, and Students Outdoor classroom Opportunity to learn more about gardens, horticulture, native plants, pollinators, and stormwater runoff (rain barrels). Integrate Environmental education into curriculum for teachers K-5 th grade School has secured funds from multiple grants sources

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45 MS4 Outreach, Education, and Public Participation Community Coalition in Cumberland County

46 Precipitated by release of the Stormwater Best Management Practices Manual by the PA Department of Environmental Protection in December 2006 StormwaterPA.org is Pennsylvania s leading source of information and education for understanding the issues and impacts of stormwater runoff as well as effective ways to manage it. StormwaterPA s video series can also help fulfill new public education requirements.

47 Use an existing program to be cost-effective Form partnerships with other governmental entities to create regional or state-based programs Seek assistance from environmental, civic, and industrial organizations

48 Initiated by the Cumberland County Planning Department Clear opportunity for partnership across MS4s Received funding from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Technical Assistance Program Project Team was formed, including GreenTreks and the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay

49 Listened to the municipalities and reviewed what each was individually doing Consolidated information from a variety of sources Leveraged the educational materials & public outreach that GreenTreks and the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay already have developed

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51 Developed a resource website Local focus Local maps, information on watersheds, municipality-specific info, ordinances Materials Tailored to Each Audience Videos, Brochures, Pamphlets, Fact Sheets, Kid-Friendly Resources Access to even more water education content via StormwaterPA.org

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54 Encouraging Municipalities to Collaborate with Local Watershed Groups Online calendar that provides cross-county information Twitter & Facebook for frequent news updates Training workshops to assist the MS4 municipalities with permit compliance

55 Use StormwaterPA.org Our resources are free and designed for you Share your successes via our platform Connect with other organizations Get in contact with other MS4s

56 GreenTreks Network: Meghan Filoromo Barry Lewis Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay: Donna Morelli Drew Siglin GreenTreks.tv AllianceForTheBay.org

57 Partnering for Success: Cost-reducing, Program-enhancing Strategies Monica Billig Environmental Finance Center University of Maryland March 14, 2013

58 Example from the field: Lancaster County Municipal Stormwater Financing Initiative Assessment of 6 municipal stormwater programs Recommendations on financing long-term program Sponsored by the Lancaster County Clean Water Consortium Funded by the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation

59 Lessons learned so far informing the region Greatest opportunity for collaboration is through education and outreach Municipalities share similar goals Need to tap into existing resources Need to know the audience to frame message Outreach is first step to putting longterm financing in place, projects on the ground

60 Components of MCMs 1&2 MCM 1 MCM 2 Develop written plan Develop written plan Develop lists of target audience groups Annually publish stormwater education information Distribute educational materials using at least 2 methods of distribution Maintain and update all components Provide opportunities for public to participate in decision-making process; regularly solicit input from target audience groups Conduct at least one annual public meeting Provide adequate public notice and public review/feedback of any ordinance required by permit Maintain and update all components Track all components Track all components

61 Importance of educating and engaging the public Promote stewardship Teach future generations importance of environmental conservation Generate behavior change, community buy-in Give your residents and businesses a voice Lower-cost, easily implementable solutions

62 Partnering to reduce costs and enhance your program Utilize and partner with existing resources Watershed organizations County conservation districts Schools Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts Local businesses Most importantly - neighboring municipalities!

63 Example: ThinkBlueMaine Partnership comprised of: 28 regulated stormwater municipalities Nested regulated entities Soil & Water Conservation Districts State Planning Office Maine DEP The University of Maine Cooperative Extension ThinkBlueMaine campaign

64 For further information Monica Billig Environmental Finance Center University of Maryland