New Videos Offer Municipal Perspectives On Stormwater Management

Leaders from Lemoyne Borough, Lower Paxton Township, Susquehanna Township, and Harrisburg’s Capital Region Water share their perspectives on tackling the stormwater management challenge in a new video from the Department of Environmental Protection.

About 950 municipalities are required to submit new stormwater management permit applications to meet more stringent U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requirements.

Municipalities that have local impaired waters or are in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed are also required to submit Pollutant Reduction Plans that specify how they’ll reduce their pollutant loads by 10 percent within 5 years.

Speakers include:

-- DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell;

-- Dennis McGee, head of the Lemoyne Borough Stormwater Committee;

-- Shannon Gority, CEO of Harrisburg’s Capital Region Water;

-- George Wolfe, Lower Paxton Township manager;

-- David Kratzer, Susquehanna Township manager; and

-- Lori Yeich, Recreation and Conservation Manager, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Click Here to watch this new video.

DEP has provided EPA grant funding to about 35 municipal stormwater projects through its Chesapeake Bay Program Office and extensive training and technical support to municipalities, including participating in about 75 outreach events in 18 counties in the past 18 months.

A new video presentation, Let’s Be Stormwater Smart, can be used for public education, one of the municipal stormwater permit requirements. (To download video, right-click and choose the “Save as” option.)

Harrisburg, Lower Paxton, and Susquehanna are partnering on a Pollutant Reduction Plan to meet their required stormwater pollution reductions in Lower Paxton Creek.

Lemoyne has successfully enlisted gardeners, borough staff, and other residents in maintenance of 18 rain gardens on Market Street.

DCNR offers grant funding for park and other outdoor recreation projects that can help municipalities meet their stormwater reduction requirements.

Citizens can find tips on stormwater management at home and in their community at DEP’s Be Stormwater Smart, PA webpage.

Related Story:

4 Municipalities, DEP, DCNR Highlight Green Infrastructure Projects To Control Stormwater Pollution