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What is a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System
(MS4)?
The Storm Water Phase II
Rule is the next step in U.S. EPA's effort to
preserve, protect, and improve the nation's water
resources from polluted storm water runoff. Phase II
is intended to further reduce adverse water quality
and aquatic habitat conditions by instituting the
use of controls on the unregulated sources of storm
water discharges that have the greatest likelihood
of causing environmental degradation.
The Phase II rule
automatically covers on a nationwide basis all small
municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s)
located in "urbanized areas" as delineated by the
Census Bureau, and those potentially designated MS4s
located outside the urbanized areas. This regulation
also affects runoff from prisons, hospitals,
military bases, etc. which are located within the
urban areas. The 2000 Census will determine the
final list of communities. The Ohio EPA sent a
letter
to notify those automatically designated MS4s
located within the urbanized area.
The Phase II Rule
defines a small MS4 storm water management program
as comprised of six minimum control measures that,
when administered in concert, are expected to result
in reduction of the discharge of pollutants into
receiving water bodies. Operators of regulated small
MS4s are required to design their programs to do the
following: reduce the discharge of pollutants to the
"maximum extent practicable" (MEP), protect water
quality and satisfy the appropriate water quality
requirements of the Clean Water Act. Implementation
of the MEP standard will require the development and
implementation of best management practices and the
achievement of measurable goals to satisfy each of
the following six minimum control measures:
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Public Education and Outreach:
Distributing educational
materials and performing outreach to inform
citizens about the impacts polluted storm water
runoff discharges can have on water quality.
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Public Participation/Involvement:
Providing opportunities for
citizens to participate in program development
and implementation, including effectively
publicizing public hearings and/or encouraging
citizen representatives on a storm water
management panel.
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Illicit Discharge Detection and
Elimination:
Developing and implementing a
plan to detect and eliminate illicit discharges
to the storm sewer system (includes developing a
system map and informing the community about
hazards associated with illegal discharges and
improper disposal of waste).
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Construction Site Runoff Control:
Developing, implementing and
enforcing an erosion and sediment control
program for construction activities that disturb
1 or more acres of land (controls could include
silt fences and temporary storm water detention
ponds).
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Post-Construction Runoff Control:
Developing, implementing and
enforcing a program to address discharges of
post-construction storm water runoff from new
development and redevelopment areas. Applicable
controls could include preventive actions such
as protecting sensitive areas (e.g., wetlands)
or the use of structural BMPs such as grassed
swales or porous pavement.
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Pollution Prevention/Good
Housekeeping:
Developing and implementing a
program with the goal of preventing or reducing
pollutant runoff from municipal operations. The
program must include municipal staff training on
pollution prevention measures and techniques
(e.g., regular street sweeping, reduction in the
use of pesticides or street salt, or frequent
catch-basin cleaning).
Above Information from
Ohio EPA MS4 Program Overview web page
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