Public comment period on Storm Water Pollution Prevention Program open until Dec. 15
St. Paul, Minn. – The Minnesota Department of Transportation is seeking public comments through Dec. 15 on its Municipal Separate Storm Sewer program in Greater Minnesota (Word).
Feedback gathered during the public comment period will be reviewed and considered for possible inclusion in the stormwater management program.
The program, known as “MS4,” helps reduce the amount of sediment and other pollution (e.g., oil, grease, nutrients, salt and pet waste) from entering Minnesota waterbodies through storm sewer systems.
Stormwater is rainfall or melted snow that runs off and is often routed to impervious surfaces, such as roadways, rooftops, sidewalks and parking lots. These hard surfaces prevent the stormwater from naturally soaking into the ground where the soil would filter out pollutants. As it flows, stormwater picks up pollutants from these surfaces.
MnDOT’s Storm Water Pollution Prevention Program covers six minimum control measures:
- Public education and outreach
- Public participation/involvement
- Illicit discharge detection and elimination
- Construction site runoff control
- Post-construction site runoff control
- Pollution prevention/good housekeeping
One of MnDOT’s MS4 permits covers Greater Minnesota, including Duluth, East Grand Forks, Elk River, La Crescent, Mankato, Moorhead, Rochester, St. Cloud and St. Michael.
Comment on MnDOT’s MS4 program at mndot.gov/environment/ms4/meeting.html.
For more information on MnDOT’s stormwater pollution prevention programs, go to mndot.gov/environment/ms4/index.html.
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