Montgomery County, PA

The Montgomery County Planning Commission developed a strategy to help the entire county government system comply with the requirements of the EPA’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Phase II Program.  The NPDES Phase II Program is primarily an effort to protect water quality through proper stormwater management.  The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has mandated the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to implement Phase II of the NPDES program.  Under the state’s requirements, the county needs to develop a program for its departments and employees that provides education and policy guidance regarding county construction/maintenance/operation activities and stormwater management.  Phase II regulates construction sites between 1 and 5 acres and stormwater discharge systems, called MS4s (Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems), in smaller urbanized areas.  The goals of the MS4 program are to reduce the discharge of pollutants to the maximum extent practicable, to protect water quality, and to satisfy the appropriate water quality requirements of the Clean Water Act.  DEP has designated Montgomery County as an MS4 operator, requiring it to develop a comprehensive stormwater management program for separate storm sewer systems owned by the county.  The strategy outlines the actions the county needs to take over the next five years to comply with the EPA’s program.  The county NPDES Phase II program will cover the six Minimum Control Measures required by the EPA: 

1.  Education and Outreach

2.  Staff Participation

3.  Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination

4.  Construction Stormwater Runoff Management

5.  Post-Construction Stormwater Runoff Management

6.  County Operations

The county program is directed at its employees and its facilities (such as parks, buildings, or maintenance facilities).  The NPDES Phase II program will affect county departments that oversee properties, periodically engage in construction-related activities, or maintain a motor fleet.  This encompasses a broad group of departments.  An essential part of the program is coordination with the various departments to assure that the requirements of the county’s program are implemented.  Because of the variety of use and dispersed geographic locations of county properties, the county will implement the NPDES Phase II program through the various departments that oversee the sites.  Though the individual sites will be handling their specific responsibilities, the county's public property department is responsible for the overall program.