The Department of Environmental Protection will be conducting five, two-day training sessions on the new Stormwater Best Management Practices Manual, a technical reference guide of planning concepts and design standards that satisfy Pennsylvania’s stormwater management requirements when properly tailored and applied locally.

The training sessions will highlight key concepts in the manual, including performance guidelines and standards, an inventory of proven BMPs, and a process for planning and applying them to construction sites.

“This initiative will arm stormwater professionals with the tools they need to evaluate water quality impacts from uncontrolled volume and velocity, factors not usually included in past design considerations,” said Cathy Curran Myers, deputy secretary of DEP’s Office of Water Management. “Stormwater should be managed as an environmental resource to be protected, rather than as a waste to be discharged quickly and moved downstream.”

Local and state government entities, planners, land developers, contractors, consultants and others involved with planning, designing, reviewing, approving and constructing land development projects are encouraged to attend.

Training sessions are being offered from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on these dates around the state:

· January 9-10 at the Quality Inn and Conference Center, Franklin, Venango County. (Snow dates: February 27-28);

· January 11-12 at the Mountain View Inn, Greensburg, Westmoreland County. (Snow dates: March 1-2);

· February 6-7 at the Genetti Hotel, Williamsport, Lycoming County. (Snow dates: February. 8-9);

· February. 13-14 at Holiday Inn, Grantville, Lebanon County. (Snow dates to be determined);

· February. 22-23 at Valley Forge Convention Plaza, King of Prussia, Montgomery County. (Snow dates to be determined); and

· March 6-7 at Villanova University, Villanova, Delaware County. (Snow dates to be determined.)

Registration information for each training session is available from the conservation district in the county where the training is being held. Registration information for the February sessions will not be available until December 29. Registration fees vary by region.

Stormwater runoff and flooding are natural events that have helped to shape the world around us. Human activities on the landscape routinely alter natural drainage patterns. These changes enhance localized flash flooding, streambank erosion and loss of groundwater recharge where stormwater runoff is poorly managed. In addition to its physical impact on the environment, stormwater may carry a variety of pollutants.

Stormwater runoff problems can be minimized through planning, and properly constructed and maintained BMPs. Properly managed stormwater can remove pollutants, facilitate groundwater recharge through retention and infiltration, provide base flow for surface water, and maintain the stability and environmental integrity of waterways and wetlands.

By managing stormwater runoff as a valuable and reusable resource, a host of opportunities are opened that protect the environment while complementing new development.

For more information, contact Barbara Beshore, chief of the Technical Support Section in DEP’s Division of Waterways, Wetlands and Stormwater Management, at 717-772-5961 or send email to: bbeshore@state.pa.us .

For more information, visit DEP’s Stormwater Best Management Practices Manual webpage. Note: a final version of DEP’s Stormwater Management Manual has not yet been published.

12/15/2006