The Department of Environmental Protection has published notice that a new draft of the Pennsylvania Stormwater Best Management Practices Manual is available and has scheduled public meetings to answer questions and accept comments.

The purpose of the draft manual is to establish recommended guidance for stormwater management utilizing best management practices in Pennsylvania.

The hearings will be held on--

· May 2 - Allegheny County: Ross Township Municipal Building, 1000 Ross Municipal Dr., Pittsburgh. The 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. meeting will be held in the gymnasium. The 6 p.m.-9 p.m. meeting will be held in the Commissioner’s Meeting Room.

· May 4 - Dauphin County: Rachel Carson State Office Building, 400 Market Street, Harrisburg. Both the 1 p.m.-4 p.m. and 6 p.m.-9 p.m. meetings will be held in the second floor auditorium.

· May 8 - Lehigh County: Lehigh Carbon Community College, Schnecksville Campus (Main Campus), 4525 Education Park Drive, Schnecksville. Both the 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. meetings will be held in Room 8113/8115 of the Administration Building.

Due to the increased need to improve water quality and protect water resources through improved stormwater runoff management, the draft manual will provide the planning concepts and design standards to guide local and state governments, planners, land developers, contractors, and others involved with planning, designing, reviewing, approving, and constructing land development projects in meeting those needs.

The draft manual advances the most recent innovations in stormwater management focusing on preserving onsite and offsite pre-construction hydraulic conditions, including volume and rate management through local onsite management. Water quality components composed of structural and non-structural techniques and technologies are emphasized and integrated into the draft manual.

Model Ordinance. In an effort to coordinate stormwater management identified in the draft manual, DEP also will publish a draft Stormwater Management Model Ordinance at a later date. It is anticipated that the draft Stormwater Management Model Ordinance will be discussed at the public meetings.

DEP will accept public comments on the draft manual until June 14.

Written statements should be sent to: Chief, NPDES Construction and Erosion Control, Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Watershed Management, Division of Waterways, Wetlands and Stormwater Management, P.O. Box 8775, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8775. Comments may also be sent electronically to: epstormwatermanual@state.pa.us .

DEP said a copy of the draft Stormwater Manual will be posted in the “Announcements” section of its Stormwater webpage.

4/14/2006