The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) New England will hold a public listening session on the proposed national rulemaking to strengthen the storm water program on March 11 in the John W McCormack building in Boston.
The EPA seeks stakeholder input on the following five regulatory considerations to help the agency shape a program to reduce storm water impacts:
1. Expand the area subject to federal storm water regulations;
2. Establish specific requirements to control storm water discharges from new development and redevelopment;
3. Develop a single set of consistent storm water requirements for all MS4s;
4. Require MS4s to address storm water discharges in areas of existing development through retrofitting the sewer system or drainage area with improved storm water control measures; and
5. Explore specific storm water provisions to protect sensitive areas.
The EPA invites members of the public to give brief (three-minute) statements regarding storm water rulemaking considerations, including the five areas of preliminary consideration. Written comments may also be submitted in person at the listening session.
In order to provide adequate seating for those wishing to attend EPA’s public listening sessions, interested individuals must register to attend at http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater/rulemaking.cfm. For individuals who cannot attend the listening session, the EPA will make a conference call line available. The conference line will be "listen only," and sound quality cannot be guaranteed. Please contact Amber Marriott by e-mail at amber.marriott@tetratech.com for the conference call information.
Please note that the EPA will not be accepting comments (oral or written) on the Draft General Permit for Stormwater Discharges from Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems in Massachusetts North Coastal Watersheds. EPA-Region 1 will hold a separate public hearing for the permit on March 18. For further information, please contact Thelma Murphy by e-mail at murphy.thelma@epa.gov.
