Stormwater Management Program
Stormwater is produced every time rain or snow is not absorbed directly into the soil. Stormwater can pick up oils, litter, sediments, fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and pathogens as it travels across roads, buildings, dumpsters, lawns, and parking lots. If this stormwater flows into lakes, streams, and bays, it can be a major source of water pollution. It is estimated that 70 percent of the water pollution in the United States comes from stormwater and other indirect discharges that are collectively called "nonpoint" sources.
In 1972, the Federal Clean Water Act (CWA) was adopted to improve the quality of our Nation’s waters. The Act sought to accomplish this by minimizing and eliminating what are commonly referred to as "point sources" of pollution, sources of pollution that originate from a pipe or other specific point of discharge. There significant improvements in water quality, water pollution remained a problem in waterbodies.
The Clean Water Act was amended in 1987 to target the non-point sources of pollution. Under Phase I of this effort, which began in 1990, municipalities having a population greater than 100,000 people were required to implement programs and projects that would reduce non-point pollution. In 2003 this requirement was extended to almost all other municipalities including the Town of Brookhaven under what is commonly referred to as "Phase II".
In New York, Phase II requires that all regulated municipalities obtain a permit from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for the discharge of stormwater runoff into their surface waters. As a condition of this permit, regulated municipalities must develop and implement a comprehensive stormwater management program that includes mandated programs and practices in the following six categories:
-
public education and outreach on stormwater impacts
-
public participation/involvement
-
illicit discharge detection and elimination
-
construction site stormwater runoff control
-
post-construction stormwater management in new development/redevelopment
-
pollution prevention/good housekeeping for municipal operations
Our Plan
The Town of Brookhaven has filed a Stormwater Management Plan with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation that describes what the Town will be doing each year to meet the requirements the requirements of the Phase II stormwater management program by 2008. The document can be viewed at the office of the Town of Brookhaven’s Division of Environmental Protection (see below).
TOWN OF BROOKHAVEN STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM ANNUAL REPORT
Open of the requirements of the SPDES General Permit for Stormwater Discharges from Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewers (MS4s), is the preparation of report describes pollutants of concern and their sources, steps being taken to reduce pollutants in stormwater runoff, and the effortive and of pollution prevention practices.
he Town is required to prepare an annual report that describes how its programs address the impacts of stormwater discharges upon waterbodies, the pollutants of concern and their sources, steps being taken to reduce pollutants in stormwater runoff, and the effectiveness of best management practices. The Town is required to make the report available to the public and to provide the public with an opportunity to comment on the Town ’s program at a public hearing prior to it being filed with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
This year's report can be found at the link "2006 SMPAR". Public Comments were received at the September 5, 2006 public hearing. Additional comments may be submitted to Alan Svoboda at the Town of Brookhaven Planning Department. (631) 451-8112.
LINKS OF INTEREST
There are many websites that provide information on the stormwater management. Below are several that are particularly useful:
New York State websites
United States Environmental Protection Agency websites
-
-
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds main page
www.epa.gov/owow
Other sources of information on stormwater management.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
If you want more information on the Town’s stormwater management program or what you can do to reduce the impacts of stormwater, contact:
Town of Brookhaven
Division of Environmental Protection
1 Independence Hill
Farmingville, New York 11738
631-451-6455