|
MDE will hold a public hearing Tuesday, Aug. 7, to accept comments on a proposed stormwater permit for the City of Baltimore.
MDE has made a tentative determination to issue a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) municipal stormwater permitto Baltimore City. Sometimes known as an “MS4” (municipal separate storm sewer system) permit, it is issued to control the pollution in waters discharged from the City’s storm drain system. This will be the “fourth generation” permit for the City, which has been regulated under this permit program for nearly two decades.
Storm drain systems collect rainfall from rooftops, parking lots, streets and other paved or covered areas. These storm drains – designed to be separate from sanitary sewer lines that carry wastewater in Baltimore City – ultimately discharge to streams and rivers. Along with rain water, these pipes convey sediment, nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus), bacteria, fuel, trace metals, salt from road deicing and trash.
Polluted stormwater runoff is a significant source of pollution to local waterways and the Chesapeake Bay. Maryland’s Watershed Implementation Plan includes strategies required by the MS4 permit to reduce nutrient pollution in stormwater runoff and other sources to comply with the requirements of the federal Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL), often referred to as a “pollution diet” for nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment.
The City of Baltimore is the second of 11 urban entities that will be affected by permit renewals under Maryland’s program. A similar permit issued to Montgomery County in 2010 is arguably one of the most progressive in the country. Similar versions will be issued in the future to Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Charles, Frederick, Harford, Howard and Prince George’s counties and the State Highway Administration.
Over the last 20 years, the City of Baltimore has progressed in addressing urban, non-point sources of pollution. The initial stormwater permit issued in the early 1990s was based on a two-year data gathering application process that required mapping of storm drain pipes and outfalls, monitoring of rain events, implementation of sediment control and stormwater management programs and establishment of new programs for public education and control of illegal dumping.
Each subsequent permit has built upon this foundation to a point where drawings by hand on outdated topography maps showing the City’s storm drain system have given way to sophisticated geographic information system mapping and analysis. Locating the inventory of existing stormwater best management practices (BMPs) has allowed the identification of areas with poor water quality that are in need of more controls. The long record of stormwater monitoring has led not only to an understanding of the magnitude of the problem but also insights into the extent of improvement needed in BMPs and programs to reach water quality goals.
Under the proposed permit, the City would be required to achieve major improvements in runoff control. The permit would require the City to:
-
Develop and implement a plan to control stormwater pollution from an additional 20 percent of impervious surfaces to meet the requirements of the Bay “pollution diet.” The City would use techniques that include planting vegetation, filtration systems, street sweeping and stream restoration. The implementation would be required to be completed by the end of the five-year permit term.
-
Develop a restoration plan for each allocation in the Bay “pollution diet.” These restoration plans would include BMP construction deadlines that would be enforceable under the permit.
-
Address all water pollution, including trash. The City would expand its litter control efforts.
-
Continue to monitor stormwater discharges to determine program effectiveness.
The permit includes penalties for failure to comply with its terms.
These improvements do not come without cost. The five-year cost of the City’s retrofit program is expected to be in the tens of millions of dollars. The Maryland General Assembly passed a bill in the 2012 legislative session that requires counties or municipalities regulated by an MS4 permit to adopt and implement local laws or ordinances necessary to establish watershed protection and restoration programs. These programs must include a stormwater remediation fee and a local watershed protection and restoration fund. This program must be implemented by July 1, 2013.
Residents and businesses can help by becoming educated about the importance of making behavioral changes, such as better trash disposal and less lawn fertilization, to improve water quality.
The public hearing on the proposed permit is scheduled for 10 a.m., Aug. 7, at MDE’s offices, 1800 Washington Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21230. The deadline for submitting comments has been extended to Sept. 21. MDE will carefully review all comments received at the public hearing or in writing and could modify the permit as appropriate before issuing a final determination.
Written comments can be sent by mail to:
Maryland Department of the Environment
Sediment, Stormwater and Dam Safety Program
1800 Washington Boulevard
Baltimore, MD 21230
or by email to Brian.Clevenger@maryland.gov
|
