United States
Environmental Protection
EPA Agency New England
Environmental News in New England for Municipal Leaders
Spring 2009
J o
EPA Welcomes Lisa P. Jackson as new Administrator
On December 15th, 2008. Lisa P.
Jackson was nominated by President
Barack Obama to become EPA ’s new-
est Administrator. She was confirmed
by the Senate on January 23. 2009.
Administrator Jackson most
recently served as Chief of Staff to
ew Jersey Governor Jon S. C’orzine
followintz her former role as Com-
missioner of the NJ DEP. While at
DEP. Jackson advocated for reducin
greenho use gases. addressing polki-
tion and having an open and honest
public policy process. While ensuring
that underserved communities received
fair and lawful environmental
protection.
Jackson initially joined DEP in
2002, serving as Assistant Commis-
sioner for Compliance and Enforce-
ment, then Assistant Commissioner
Stormwater: the
Brewing Issues
Making Sense of RDA and
MS4 in Your Community
Stormwater runoff prevents many
rivers and streams in the United States
from meeting water quality standards.
Pollutants from pavement, roofs and
other non-porous surfaces are car-
ried by rainfall into municipal storm
drains and waterways. Stormwater
can overwhelm municipal sewer lines.
causing raw continued on page 2
SIDE
• Welcome Lisa P Jackson
• Stimulus Package
• Climate forAction
• Storrnwater
• Eco Emergencies
• Waste Not, WasfeWise
for Land Use Management. before
becoming Commissioner. Prior to
joining DEP, she gained 16 years of
experience with the U.S. EPA, ini-
tially at its Washington headquarters
and later the New York City based
regional office. During that time, she
was involved in directing hazardous
waste cleanup operations and help-
ing to direct the region’s enforcement
division.
‘ The American people
have gained a tireless
public servant and a
tenacious guardian of
the environment.”
—Governor Corzil7e
Stimulus
Package
Community
See how the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Plan is shaping the local
environment through some of EPA’s
programs and regional efforts.
Visit w vw.epa.gov ne/municipalities
or www.recovery.gov for the latest
information.
*‘ ‘*‘ * I ECUVERY. GaY
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cont. Stormwater
sewage overflows. This may have
been what closed your favorite beach
last summer.
What’s EPA’s Stormwater
Strategy?
Stormwater management poses many
challenges. For one thing. its origin
is extreniel difficult to track. E\ cry
drivewa. parking lot and roadway
collects pollutants zinc from tire wear.
lead from diesel fuel combustion, cop-
per from break pad wear, plus oil, anti-
freeze and soaps that might otherwise
filter through the soil.
To deal with the clearest sources
first, EPA uses authority within the
Clean Water Act and the National
Pollutant Discharge Elimination Sys-
tem (NPDES). Niunicipal, industrial
and construction-related sources of
stormwater pollution require per-
mits. EPA may also use its Residual
Designation Authority (RDA) where
stormwater controls are necessary in
areas not otherwise regulated.
In December of 2008, EPA and
Maine DEP announced a plan to
apply more stringent stormwater con-
trols in the Long Creek watershed; an
area just shy of 3.5 sq. miles stretch-
ing to Casco Bay, including South
Portland, Westbrook and small por-
tions of Scarborough and Portland.
The Long Creek watershed has
seen significant urbanization and
commercial development in recent
decades. The expansion of impervious
cover has increased the volume and
frequency of stormwater runoff and
caused a sharp decline in water quality.
Now, properties with impervious
area of one acre or more must apply
for a Clean Water Act permit and will
be required to reduce stormwater pol-
lution by allowing more soil percola-
tion, more frequent and thorough street
sweeping, using greater care in storing
materials such as oils and paints and/or
by conducting other management and
restoration activities.
Since 1998, DEP has conducted
numerous studies to better understand
the physical, biological and hydrolog-
ical characteristics of the watershed.
That work proved essential to moving
forward with effective mitigation
strategies.
Similar RDA Authority was used
by EPA on Nov. 11, 2008 to require
permits of stormwater discharges from
large impervious surfaces in the upper
Charles River watershed in Massachu-
setts. Extensive studies showed that
storm water was fueling the growth of
excess plant life, including toxic algae
in the Charles River.
What is a Municipal MS4
Permit?
EPA controls municipal stormwater
discharges by issuing permits within
—2—
NPDES. Municipal Separate Storm
Sewer Systems - or “MS4” permits,
generally cover urbanized munici-
palities with populations greater than
10,000, but can apply to those greater
than 1,000.
In New England, the NPDES storm-
water permitting program is adminis-
tered by the state government in CT,
RI, ME and VT and by EPA in partner-
ship with \1A and NH.
EPA issued the first generation of
Small MS4 permits for Massachusetts
and New Hampshire municipalities
in 2003. The new Small MS4 permits
intend to incorporate lessons learned.
The Draft New Hampshire permit
is available on EPA’s website at: www.
epa.gov/region 1 /npdes/stormwater/
MS4_2008_NH.html . EPA’s public
comment period on the NH permit had
I
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been extended through February 20
2009. After considering the com-
ments. EPA anticipates that it will be
signed, made publicly available and
effective later in 2009.
What about
Massachusetts?
A Small MS4 General Permit for
Massachusetts will also be available
soon, conforming to much the same
schedule as New Hampshire’s. Re-
quirements for Massachusetts will be
similar with the exception that there
will be four geographically-based
general permits.
For the Latest Information visit:
www.epa.govregionl ‘topics/water
stormwater.html.
Stormwater Contacts:
EPA Region I Stormwater
Coordinator & IS4 Program
Thelma Murphy
\1urphv.the1n aa epa.go’.
61’.918. 1615
EPA Residual Designation
Authority and Permitting-Upper
Charles River Basin
Mark \oorhees
\oorhees.rnark’u pa.gov
617.918.1537
CT DEP
Chris Stone
chris.stoneapo.state.ct. us
().424.3 55()
\IE DEP
David Ladd
david.ladda state.me.us
207.2 57.5404
RI DEM
Margarita Chatterton
mchatterton’a dem .state.ri .us
401.222.4700 x 7605
VT Agency of Natural Resources
Peter LaFlamme
petel@dec.anr.state.us.vt
502.24 1.3765
NH DES
Jeff Andrews
Jeff.Andrews des.nh.gov
603.271.2984
\lassDEP
Frederick Civian
Frederick.Civian(a state.ma.us
617.292.5821
Oil or Chemical
Spill Emergency?
Have the NRC on
speed dial!
If an oil spill or chemical release
occurs and von are unsure of what
to do. make the best first move
and call the NRC! The National
Response Center (NRC) is the
centralized federal hotline that can
help respond: be safe. not sorry and
let the emergency personnel decide
if outside resources are necessary
to help. Call 1-800-424-9346 as
soon as a release occurs. The NRC
is staffed 24 hours a day by U.S.
Coast Guard personnel.
The NRC will notify the right
government agency to respond.
If you call the EPA or U.S. Coast
Guard first, they will promptly report
to the NRC. Either an EPA or U.S.
Coast Guard On-Scene Coordinator
(OSC) will dispatch to the site. In
every area of the country at any time
of day, OSCs are ready to respond.
Releases of extremely hazardous
substances should also be made
to the state emergency response
commission (SERC) or the local
emergency planning commit-
tee (LEPC). To identify the right
SERC and LEPC for your commu-
nity contact the EPCRA Hotline at
1-800-535-0202.
Calling all Teens! Create A New
Climate for Action
Join the “Create a New Climate for Action” campaign! Your generation
can make a big difference for the future of the planet.
With a little help from our website, teens can get savvy about how to
calculate their climate impact and how to help others. Become a Climate
Ambassador by motivating friends, schools and communities to help cli-
mate change and public health.
Check out www.epa.govclimateforaction to get started!
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WasteWise Conmrnnities
In 2006, EPA estimated that 60% (150 million tons!) of the trash in the U.S
came from residences WasteWise can help local governments conserve natu-
ral resources, reduce unnecessary residential “trash” and help battle climate
change
Each stage of a product’s life cycle extraction, manufacturing, distribution,
use and disposal, emits greenhouse gases (GHGs) Landfills emit of one of the
worst GHG’s—methane WasteWise provides tools and economically achievable
goals
Heard about the Community Energy Challenge’ WasteWise would comple-
ment those efforts by using the WARM model (www epa.gov/warm) to trans-
late your waste reduction data into emissions reductions
Start today’ Simply fill out an on-line partner registration form www epa
gov/epawaste/partnerships/wastew ise/par_form htm
For a tailored Community Climate Profile, a municipality can submit base-
line data and report annual waste reduction data and EPA will use a WARM
model to track progress
For more information about Waste Wise and tools available to local govern-
ments, visit www epa gov/wastewise or contact
Janet Bowen, 617918 1795
Ce.’ printed on 1 00% recycled paper, with a minimum of 50% post-consumer waste, using vegetable based inks
___ United States
Environmental Protection
Agency New England
I Congress Street
Suite 1100
Boston, MA 02114
Official Business
Penalty for Private Use $300
An Equal Opportunity Employer
In Your Backyard: For answers to many environmental questions regarding your New England community visit
EPA New England Local
Government Office
EPA New England
1 Congress Street
Suite 1100
Boston, MA 02114-2023
Doug Gutro
phone (617) 918-1021
fax (617) 918-0021
Editor
Jeanethe Falvey
falvey leanethe@epa gov
EPA Contributors
Janet Boweri, Ken Moraff,
Thelma Murphy, Kathleen Nagle,
Kate Renahan & Mark Voorhees
wwwepo gov/regionl
Spring 2009
( wwwepa.gov/regionl/communities j

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