DEP Water Resources Advisory Committee Meets Nov. 17 On Draft DEP Stormwater Management Manual Update; Proposed Triennial Review Of Water Quality Standards

DEP’s Water Resources Advisory Committee is scheduled to meet on November 17 to hear presentations on the draft, updated Stormwater Management Manual and a draft rulemaking related to the Triennial Review of Water Quality Standards.

Stormwater Manual Update

Dr. Robert Traver, Director of Villanova’s Urban Stormwater Partnership and faculty researcher from Villanova’s Center for Resilient Water Systems, will make the presentation on the draft updated Stormwater Management Manual.

DEP has been working with Villanova since 2018 on updating the 2006 Stormwater Best Management Practices Manual.  Read more here.

The first goal of the update is to first evaluate the existing BMP’s in the Manual in terms of the latest science and in-field experience on their effectiveness, water pollution reduction potential and ongoing maintenance and costs.

The second is to organize the BMPs into a menu of practices emphasizing first in a hierarchy those practices that use a natural systems approach in their design and function while at the same time are the most effective at achieving stormwater flow and rate objectives as well as water pollution reductions.

Nearly 20 years of experience with building and operating green infrastructure projects under the Growing Greener Program and recent research presented to the PA Chesapeake Bay Watershed Planning Steering Committee demonstrates stormwater practices based on natural system functions are more effective at reducing flooding and water pollution.

Third, the Villanova team will recommend new best management practices developed or perfected since the 2006 Manual was adopted to achieve stormwater and pollution reduction objectives.

The Manual also includes updated hydrology based on impacts of climate change, including increases in precipitation, more intense and longer rain events.

Click Here for a copy of the presentation slides.

Triennial Review Of Water Quality Standards

Kristen Schlauderaff, Bureau of Clean Water, will provide the presentation on the Triennial Review of Water Quality Standards.

DEP is proposing new or updated Water Quality Standards for 17 toxic substances including: acetone, barium, boron, cadmium, carbaryl, chloroform, chlorophenoxy herbicide, 1,4 dioxane, formaldehyde, methyl isobutyl ketone, metolachlor, resorcinol, 1,2,3 trichloropropane, 1,2,4, trimethylbenzene, 1,3,5 trimethylbenzene and xylene, among others.

A number of these toxic substances can be found in conventional oil and gas and unconventional shale gas oil and gas fracking and drilling fluids and production wastewater.

Copies of the draft regulatory changes are available on the Committee webpage.

The agenda also includes a presentation on implementation of the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law State Revolving Fund programs to finance water infrastructure projects.

The meeting will be held in Room 105 of the Rachel Carson Building in Harrisburg starting at 9:30 a.m.  The meeting will also be available remotely via Microsoft Teams and by phone at 267-332-8737 then enter conference ID 761 256 875#.

For available handouts and presentations, visit DEP’s Water Resources Advisory Committee  webpage.  Questions should be directed to Jay Braund at jbraund@pa.gov or 717-772-5936.

[Posted: November 12, 2022]  PA Environment Digest