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<br />CASE#j <br /> <br />OVERVIEW OF lVJS4 PROGRAlVI <br />By: Leonard Linton, Civil Engineer II <br /> <br />History: <br /> <br />The MS4 program stands far Municipal Sepan1te Small StOt'm Sewer Systems. [t has its origins <br />in the national Clean Water Act W1.1S established with u goal of reducing the pollution [n our <br />lakes, rivers and streams. The Ckan Water Act has been reauthorized and expanded several <br />times since it Wt1S tirst introduced. The portion of the law pertaining to cities was written to be <br />applied in phases, the tirst phase was targeted at cities Qver50,OOa population, the second phase <br />was targeted at cities over 1 a,ooo population. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency MPCA <br />was assigned the responsibility for the program in Minnesota. The cities of Minneapolis, St <br />Paul, Rochester i:md [}uluth were included in the first phase which occurred in the 1990's. The <br />MPCA introduced the phase 2 program in early 2002 with a requirement that all affected cities <br />submit an application for coverage under the permit by March 31,2003. Ramsey joined a <br />coulition of cities which hired a consultant to pl'ep~m;: documents to assist in applying for the <br />permit (md meeting the requirements of the permit. The cotllition provided volumes of <br />information to its members that simplitied preparation of the application. The Sttlte program was <br />overtumcd in court after all of the applic,ltions were submitted. The MPCA revised the permit <br />based on the court decisil,m und required re~submittal of the applications by June 1,2006. The <br />City of Ramsey application was turned in on May 31,2006. <br /> <br />Program Requirements: <br /> <br />The MS4 program has six mqjor components: Public Education and Outreach, Public <br />Participation! Involvement, Illicit Dischargl:: Detection and Elimination, Construction Site <br />Stormwater Runoff Control, Post-Construction Stormwuter Management in New Development <br />and Redevelopment and Pollution Prevention! Good Housekeeping. The desired outcome of all <br />of these components is reducing or eliminating the pollutants leaving the city through the storm <br />sewer system. The permit application contains a series of summary sheets listing Best <br />Management Practices Bfvrp's that outline specitic stept; the city will take to meet these goals. <br />Some ot' the steps fI.)r each component arc listed below: <br /> <br />Construction Site Stormwater Runoff Control <br /> <br />Work Items <br />Newsletters, Website, Billing Im(;)rts <br />Annual Meeting, Recei ve. and incorpomtc <br />comments on plan <br />Storm Sewer System Map, Track l;1l1d elimimlte <br />dry weather t10ws, Education program thI' public <br />and City employees <br />Site plan review, enforce construction site <br />control measures <br />Create ordinance for stormwater munagement, <br />. Long-term operation and maintenance of BM?' s <br /> <br />Category <br />Public Education and Gutl'each <br />Public P~trticipation/ Involvement <br /> <br />Illicit Dischmge Detection and Elimination <br /> <br />Post-Construction Stonnwater Management in <br />New Development und Redevelopment <br /> <br />17 <br />