Name
Highlights and big ideas of Washington's municipal stormwater permits
Date & Time
Wednesday, September 9, 2020, 4:30 PM - 5:00 PM
Abbey Stockwell
Description

With a strong regulatory history, and highly visible and important water resources to protect - Washington state’s municipal stormwater permits rely upon an encompassing, and in some cases novel, approach to stormwater management. Highlights of the newly reissued 2019 permits include: • Stormwater planning as a tool for water quality management and watershed health • Incorporating environmental justice into Stormwater Management Programs • Source control inspections for existing businesses on a regional basis • Stormwater retrofits… • Community based social marketing approach to education and outreach These new requirements build upon a solid regulatory foundation that: • requires Low Impact Development to be the preferred and commonly used approach in western Washington, • includes a permitee-funded regional stormwater monitoring program that tracks the status and trends of receiving waters, and studies the effectiveness of BMPs, and • provides up-to-date guidance through stormwater management manuals. A large part of the success is due to the regional collaboration, funding, as well as the state and local partnerships all working towards the goal of clean water.