1、Developing and Implementing a Stormwater Management Program in a Transportation AgencyAASHTO PrAcTiTiOnerS HAndbOOkThe Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO produces the Practitioners Handbooks. The handbooks provide practical advice on a range of environmental issues that arise during the p
2、lanning, development, and operation of transportation projects.Each handbook is developed by the Center in cooperation with an advisory group that includes representatives of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), state DOTs, and other agencies as approp
3、riate. The handbooks are primarily intended for use by program and project managers and others who are responsible for coordinating compliance with a wide range of regulatory requirements. With their needs in mind, each handbook includes: A background briefing; Key issues to consider; and Practical
4、tips for achieving compliance.In addition, key regulations, guidance materials, and sample docu-ments for each handbook are posted on the Centers web site at http:/environment.transportation.orgdeVeLOPinG And iMPLeMenTinG A STOrMWATer MAnAGeMenT PrOGrAM in A TrAnSPOrTATiOn AGencYState departments of
5、 transportation (DOTs) face increasing pressure to reduce pollution in their stormwater discharges. This handbook provides recommendations for developing and implementing an effective storm-water management program to help comply with National Pollutant Dis-charge Elimination System (NPDES) regulati
6、ons.Issues covered in this handbook include: Development and implementation of a stormwater management program; Clean Water Act (CWA) and the NPDES program; State and local stormwater regulations; Conducting a Program Effectiveness Assessment (PEA); Developing a stormwater management plan (SWMP); Pu
7、blic education and outreach; Construction site stormwater compliance; Integrating Best Management Practices (BMPs) into transporta-tion project delivery; Roadway maintenance stormwater practices and NPDES com-pliance; Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) and other special require-ments; and Important s
8、tormwater management terms.American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials13June 2009Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO Using the Transportation Planning Process to Support the NEPA ProcessCopyright 2009, Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO (American Associati
9、on of State Highway and Transportation Officials). All Rights Reserved. This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without written permission of the publisher. Printed in the United States of America.This material is based upon work supported by the Federal Highway Administration
10、 under Cooperative Agreement No. DTFH61-07-H-00019. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the Author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the Federal Highway Administration. 2009 by the American Association of State Highway and
11、 Transportation Officials. All rights reserved. Duplication is a violation of applicable law.Developing and Implementing a Stormwater Management Program in a Transportation AgencyThe purpose of this handbook is to assist transportation agencies in developing and/or implementing a stormwater manage-m
12、ent program that satisfies the requirements of the Clean Water Act(CWA). For agencies that already have a functioning stormwater management program, this handbook provides useful tips and transportation specific references to assist program implementation.Throughout this handbook, the terms “stormwa
13、ter management program” and “stormwater management plan” (SWMP) are used. The term “stormwater management program” refers to the entire program implemented by a transportation agency to comply with their National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System(NPDES) permit(s) for stormwater discharges. The
14、term “SWMP” refers to a specific document that describes the framework for implementation of the stormwater management program for the agency.The NPDES program was developed to implement the requirements of the CWA. The 1987 amendments to the CWA required that municipal separate storm sewer systems(
15、MS4s), including those owned by transportation agencies (i.e., DOTs and transit agencies), obtain stormwater permits, effectively designating them as “point source” discharges.The U.S. EPA implemented the NPDES program in two phases depending on the population of the municipality. Transportation age
16、ncies are considered a “municipal” permittee even though a population metric does not apply. Accordingly, all transportation agencies are covered by either a Phase I or a Phase II NPDES permit for stormwater discharge. Many transportation agencies are entering into a fourth round of Phase I permits
17、that are issued on a five-year cycle; however, some transportation agencies have entered the permitting system relatively recently under Phase II of the program. The agency may be covered by multiple Phase I or Phase II permits by geographic region, either individually or as a co-permittee with othe
18、r agencies or municipalities, and the requirements in each permit may vary.Compliance with stormwater NPDES permits is a requirement under federal law, but a well-designed stormwater management program also benefits a state highway system by supporting sustainability goals and reducing infrastructur
19、e costs:Use of vegetated conveyances can reduce capital as well as operation and maintenance (O future permeable pavement systems could enhance these benefits further.Programs such as sweeping and trash pickup provide program benefits for safety and aesthetics, as well as NPDES program compliance.Re
20、duction of pesticide use reduces chemical, training, and personnel costs.Implementation of a stormwater management program will also have substantial environmental benefits. The National Research Council notes that urban runoff is one of the primary sources of pollution in surface waters4. Environme
21、ntal benefits of highway stormwater quality enhancement include:Maintenance of beneficial uses of receiving waters;Maintenance or improvement of riparian habitat;Aesthetic improvements of waterways by reducing trash; Clean Water Act: http:/www.epa.gov/lawsregs/laws/cwa.html. http:/www.epa.gov/npdes.
22、 http:/www.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater/municipal. National Research Council. Urban Stormwater Management in the United States. October 5, 008, Washington, DC. pp. 80.Overview 2009 by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. All rights reserved. Duplication is a violation
23、of applicable law. Developing and Implementing a Stormwater Management Program in a Transportation AgencyRecharge of local aquifers through increased infiltration; andReduced flood potential in conveyances.The U.S. National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 declared a national policy to “creat
24、e and maintain conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony, and fulfill the social, economic, and other requirements of present and future generations of Americans.“Stormwater quality programs not only include the environmental benefits noted above, but are also a part o
25、f a program for sustainability through water conservation, habitat preservation, and preservation of surface water hydrology.Stormwater compliance programs may also have implications for the impacts of climate change. U.S. EPA climate models pre-dict that the average temperature at the Earths surfac
26、e could increase from .2 to 7.2F above 1990 levels by the end of this century. The temperature increase could cause changes in precipitation patterns.6Highways that incorporate stormwater quality features for conveyance may be better able to adapt to climate change. For example, vegetated channels m
27、ay be able to convey surface flows while surcharged, with less flooding on adjacent facilities, and they can be modified with less cost compared to underground and open channel systems with rigid linings.This handbook provides information on the NPDES program and the basic requirements for creating
28、a stormwater management program for a state DOT to comply with federal regulations. The federal regulations require six minimum measures in the devel-opment of a stormwater management program. The six minimum measures are shown in Table 1. Many states have additional clean water regulations beyond t
29、he requirements described here; however, the basic framework provided will support and be consistent with state-specific requirements. Stormwater regulations are state-specific, and it is important to understand local requirements when developing and implementing an agency stormwater management prog
30、ram. This handbook also provides information to assist in implementing a SWMP if one has already been developed.Table 1. Six MiniMuM MeaSureS When CreaTing a STorMWaTer ManageMenT PrograM. Public Education and Outreach . Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination 5. Post Construction Runoff Control
31、. Public Participation/Involvement . Construction Site Runoff Control6. Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping Practices5 http:/www.epa.gov/sustainability/basicinfo.htm.6 http:/www.epa.gov/climatechange/basicinfo.html. 2009 by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. A
32、ll rights reserved. Duplication is a violation of applicable law.Developing and Implementing a Stormwater Management Program in a Transportation AgencyBackground BriefingClean Water ActThe Clean Water Act (formerly the Federal Water Pollution Control Act) was instituted by the U.S. EPA in 1972 to pr
33、otect the nations waters. As the primary federal law governing water pollution, the CWA employs a number of regulatory and non-regu-latory tools to reduce discharge of pollutants into waters of the United States, thereby ensuring these waters are habitable for plants and wildlife and are safe for hu
34、man activities. Water protection under the CWA covers point sources, such as industrial, municipal, and some agricultural facilities, but excludes nonpoint sources such as forestry and return flows from agriculture. The CWA uses a water quality approach with technology-based standards to protect rec
35、eiving water quality. Federal environmental regulations based on the CWA have evolved to require the control of pollutants from MS4s, construction sites, and industrial activities. Discharges from such sources were brought under the NPDES permit process by the 1987 CWA amendments and the subsequent
36、1990 promulgation of stormwater regulations by the U.S. EPA.Under the federal stormwater regulations, a transportation agencys properties, facilities, and activities fall under the jurisdiction of NPDES stormwater regulations for two primary reasons:Highways, highway-related properties, transit faci
37、lities, and activities are served by storm drain systems, which are often connected to, and are considered comparable to, urban MS4s covered explicitly in the federal stormwater regula-tions.Construction of highways and transit and related facilities often results in soil disturbance of areas greate
38、r than one acre, for which specific requirements are prescribed by the federal stormwater regulations.The Code of Federal Regulations7(CFR), 40 CFR 122.26(a)(iii) and (iv), requires that NPDES stormwater permits be issued for discharges from large, medium, and designated small MS4s. The regulations
39、define the term “MS4” to mean “a conveyance or system of conveyances (including roads with drainage systems, municipal streets, catch basins, curbs, gutters, ditches, manmade channels, or storm drains) owned or operated by a state, city, town, borough, county.” Each DOT, as the owner and operator of
40、 an MS4, is subject to an NPDES MS4 permit in those areas as specified under federal regulation.Delegated AuthorityMost states are authorized to some degree to implement the NPDES program under “delegated authority” from the U.S. EPA. These states have authority to regulate surface water runoff that
41、 may affect receiving water quality. Figure 1 shows the status of states and territories to implement the program. Code of Federal Regulations: http:/ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/. 2009 by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. All rights reserved. Duplication is a violation o
42、f applicable law. Developing and Implementing a Stormwater Management Program in a Transportation AgencyFigure 1. State NPDES Program StatusEnvironmental Management SystemsThere is a continuing emphasis on transportation agencies to practice environmental stewardship in all facets of their opera-tio
43、nsfrom planning through routine maintenance. Environmental stewardship means making decisions and conducting operations in a manner to protect and improve the environment. An Environmental Management System (EMS) directly supports environmental stewardship by providing the means to routinely and con
44、sistently consider (not just on a project-by-project basis) environmental effects and requirements in transportation decision-making as well as day-to-day activities. Ele-ments of an EMS have been developed by AASHTO and other government and private-sector organizations. The elements of an EMS are s
45、imilar to a stormwater management program, and its elements can be integrated into an agencys EMS if one is in place. The AASHTO Practitioners Handbook #8, “Developing and Implementing an Environmental Management System in a State Department of Transportation”8gives an overview of EMS systems.8 AASH
46、TO Practitioners Handbook #8 is available at http:/environment.transportation.org/center/products_programs/practitioners_handbooks.aspx.Source: U.S. EPA 2009 by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. All rights reserved. Duplication is a violation of applicable law.D
47、eveloping and Implementing a Stormwater Management Program in a Transportation AgencyNPDES Program RequirementsThe Clean Water Act amendments of 1987 required the control of pollution in stormwater. The U.S. EPA developed the NPDES permit system (in part) to regulate stormwater quality from publicly
48、 owned storm drain systems. The NPDES permit system was implemented in two Phases, I and II, generally for municipalities that serve greater than and less than 100,000 people respec-tively. Transportation agencies were generally designated as “Phase I” entities and were required to apply for and rec
49、eive an NPDES permit for stormwater discharges from their storm drain systems; however, some agencies were designated “Phase II” entities.Phase I stormwater management programs are generally more mature and sophisticated than Phase II programs and may have additional requirements, since they were permitted several years prior to the Phase II programs. Whether the agency operates under a Phase I or Phase II permit is becoming less important, and program requirements between the two phases are proceed-ing towards par
