Northeast Ohio Regional Storm Water Task Force
NOACA Model Phase II Storm Water Management Plan

December 10, 2002

Over 100 communities in Northeast Ohio are affected by USEPA’s Phase II Storm Water Regulations. Click here for a map of these communities.

In 2001, NOACA received a grant from the Lake Erie Protection Fund (LEPF) to establish the Northeast Ohio Regional Storm Water Task Force as a mechanism to assist regulated communities in developing local Storm Water Management Plans required under Phase II of the USEPA Storm Water Permits Program.

The Task Force was comprised of representatives from the communities to be regulated by the Phase II Program. It also included members of local environmental groups and interested citizens. Ohio EPA and USEPA assisted in the effort.

Model plan elements have been developed to address USEPA’s Six Minimum Control Measures that must be addressed by urbanized communities in local Storm Water Management Plans by March 2003. Three Work Groups were established to develop regional model elements to address public education and involvement, construction and post-construction storm water elements, and the illicit discharges/community good housekeeping practices.

Click here for an overview Table on the Work Groups and the Model Plan Elements.

REGIONAL MODEL ORDINANCE FORTIFIES PLAN ELEMENTS

The model elements were drafted in a manner that relies on the local adoption of the Regional Model Ordinance. The ordinance provides for the control of erosion and sediment runoff from construction sites, the management of post-construction water quantity and quality and riparian and wetland setbacks. The Regional Model Ordinance is being modified to facilitate its use. The Model Ordinance is being separated into the following components: a Construction Site Soil Erosion and Sediment Control ordinance, a Storm Water Quantity ordinance, a Storm Water Quality ordinance, and a Riparian/Wetland Setback ordinance. A version is being prepared that will extract the technical details out of the ordinances themselves and incorporate them in a reference manual that can be easily updated when necessary. The revisions to the Model Ordinance will be available in January 2003.

OHIO EPA’S DRAFT NPDES PERMITS FOR REGULATED COMMUNITIES

Ohio EPA has developed a Fact Sheet on the NPDES General Permit for Discharges of Storm Water from Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems to assist in reviewing the actual Draft Permit.

Communities in rapidly developing watersheds should review the Fact Sheet and Draft Permit that were specifically designed to address storm water management problems associated with rapid development.

These permits are essentially the same with one exception. Rapidly developing communities must implement some measures within 3 years as opposed to 5 years for most measures.