Fwd: EPA News Release: EPA Orders Pennsylvania Municipalities to Improve Stormwater Management

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From: U.S. EPA <usaepa@service.govdelivery.com>
Date: Tue, Jun 24, 2014 at 11:33 AM
Subject: EPA News Release: EPA Orders Pennsylvania Municipalities to Improve Stormwater Management
To: iammejtm@gmail.com

Contact: David Sternberg 215-814-5548 sternberg.david@epa.gov    EPA Orders Pennsylvania Municipalities to Improve Stormwater Management  Improvements will help protect local streams in 85 communities  (PHILADELPHIA – June 24, 2014) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today that it has sent orders to 85 municipalities in north central and northeast Pennsylvania requiring improvements to their programs for managing stormwater. EPA issued the orders to augment Pennsylvania's efforts to ensure effective stormwater management programs are in place to improve water quality in local streams and the Chesapeake Bay, which is downstream of most of the towns cited by EPA.     "In this age of changing climate and more frequent and severe weather events, managing urban stormwater is essential for protecting and restoring the waterways in our communities," said EPA Regional Administrator Shawn M. Garvin. "Our objective in issuing these orders is to build on the work being done by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and bridge any gaps in making it clear to the municipalities that they need to do a better job of implementing their programs for controlling stormwater runoff." The federal Clean Water Act requires the cited municipalities to develop and implement a program to reduce contamination of stormwater runoff and prevent illegal discharges of stormwater. EPA's orders also require the cited municipalities to correct deficiencies with their respective Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) programs and to come into compliance with their Clean Water Act stormwater discharge permits. MS4s are publicly-owned drainage systems, including storm drains, pipes, and ditches, which are designed to collect and convey stormwater runoff in urbanized areas. Urbanized areas generally contain large portions of impervious surfaces such as roads, rooftops and parking lots that channel stormwater directly into local streams, rivers, and other water bodies. Improperly managed stormwater runoff from urbanized areas can cause flooding and significant erosion, damage streams, and carry excessive nutrients, sediment, metals, volatile organic compounds, and other pollutants downstream. The orders provide information to the municipalities regarding how to assure compliance with MS4 requirements of the Clean Water Act. For more information about Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s) visit: http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater/munic.cfm. The municipalities receiving the orders are: Carbon County                                 Bowmanstown Borough Lower Towamensing Weissport Borough   Centre County College Township Harris Township Patton Township State College Borough   Franklin County Old Forge Borough   Lackawanna County Taylor Borough Clarks Summit Borough South Abingdon Township Clarks Green Borough Dickson City Borough Dunmore Borough Blakely Borough, Throop Borough. Ransom Township PSU Scranton Moosic Borough Abington Township Scranton City Scott Township   Lehigh County Catasauqua Borough Slatington Borough Whitehall Township Macungie Township Upper Milford Township Salisbury Township South Whitehall Township Emmaus Borough Alburtis Borough Weisenberg Township Lehigh County   Luzerne County Duryea Borough Edwardsville Borough Wilkes-Barre Township Plymouth Borough Larksville Borough Sugar Notch Borough Ashley Borough DuPont Borough Jenkins Township Avoca Borough Warrior Run Borough Laflin Borough Dallas Borough Swoyersville Borough Exeter Borough Wyoming Borough Pittston Township Nanticoke City Newport Township West Wyoming Borough Foster Township Hazleton City West Pittston Borough Kingston Borough Bear Creek Township Wilkes-Barre City Laurel Run Borough Plymouth Township Hughestown Borough Dallas Township Lehman Township   Luzerne & Northampton County Jackson Township Fountain Hill Borough Lower Saucon Township Lower Nazareth Township Hanover Township Lycoming County   Old Lycoming Township Montoursville Borough Loyalsock Township Williamsport City Northampton County   Allen Township Northampton Borough Walnutport Borough Bangor Borough Lower Mt. Bethel Township Pen Argyl Borough Freemansburg Borough Williams Township East Allen Township Easton City Bushkill Township Plainfield Township Hellertown Borough   Northampton County Wind Gap Borough Forks Township Hanover Township You can unsubscribe or update your subscriptions or e-mail address at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page. All you will need is your e-mail address. If you have any questions or problems, please e-mail subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com for assistance.  This service is provided to you at no charge by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.    This email was sent to iammejtm@gmail.com using GovDelivery, on behalf of: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW · Washington DC 20460 · 202-564-4355

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Jeremy Tobias Matthews