Page 6 - May-June 2017 Vol. 35 No.1
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STATEWIDE By John Chlarson
MTAS Has You Covered
There’s a new permit in town…but Also, the submittal date for Notice for 9 Central. The broadcast will
the University of Tennessee’s Municipal of Intent (NOls) was extended to start from the Nashville Central
Technical Advisory Service has you Feb. 1, to avoid time constraints Office.
covered. due to the holidays. If you elect The purpose of the workshop is to
to delay implementation of the provide City and County MS4 staff
Nearly 100 cities and counties in the new permanent stormwater assistance in filling out the MS4 NOI
state of Tennessee have coverage under requirements, indicate as such that is due Feb. 1, 2017. There is no
the state’s Phase II Small MS4 National in your NOI. If you have already need to take attendance. The NOI
Pollutant Discharge Elimination System submitted an NOI, you may still assistance will be facilitated by John
Permit Program. Public Works frontline elect to delay the new permanent Chlarson (MTAS).
and management personnel are heavily stormwater requirements by sending In 2003, when the original Phase II
involved in successful compliance a brief email notification to the Permit was issued, a similar series of
efforts. MTAS is involved in supporting contact below… workshops was presented statewide.
these personnel. So, in the midst of much controversy, MTAS and TDEC partnered on
Tennessee had a new stormwater those workshops, which included
On Sept. 30, 2016, the Tennessee permit for the stormwater community, the introduction of the first Model
Department of Environment and including Public Works professionals, Stormwater Ordinance, which was
Conservation released the following: to deal with. developed by MTAS under a 319 grant
MTAS was requested by TDEC to procured with the assistance of the
In accordance with the provisions of facilitate a statewide video conference Tennessee Department of Agriculture.
the Tennessee Water Quality Control on the new permit requirements and The primary objective of the project
Act, Tennessee Code Annotated how to fill out the Notice of Intent for was to equip MS4s with the knowledge
(T.C.A.), Sections 69-3-101 through the new permit. and understanding of the program
69-3-120, the Division of Water This was not only requested requirements for the first-ever Phase
Resources hereby issues the NPDES by TDEC, but, at the Tennessee II Municipal NPDES Permit for
Permit, TNS000000 Phase II Small Stormwater Association Annual Stormwater Management and enable
MS4 General Permit with the Notice Conference, on Oct. 18, 2016, the them to prepare an action plan for
of Determination that addresses all TNSA Board voted to request that submitting their permit application.
public comments. MTAS do a statewide workshop for This information put them in a position
One of TDEC’s follow-up cities and counties that are permitted to comply with permit requirements
announcements was dated Dec. 21, MS4s, Municipal Separate Storm and to protect and improve water
2016: Sewer Systems, on the new stormwater quality in Tennessee, as related to
To MS4 Program Coordinators: permit, especially the changes from nonpoint source impairments.
As you may be aware, we the last permit in the new permit, and MTAS was also requested to develop
received several appeals related guidance on preparing the MS4’s Notice a model of a completed NOI for the
to the Permanent Stormwater of Intent. It was further requested that 2016 Permit, again, “…to provide City
Management requirements detailed MTAS obtain TDEC guidance and and County MS4 staff an assistance in
in the General NPDES Permit for assistance in preparing and presenting filling out the MS4 NOI that is due Feb.
Small MS4s, which became effective the workshop. 1, 2017.” With important input from
on Oct. 1, 2016. The appeals, There were precedents for this, as TDEC, various MS4s and members of
available for download on our MTAS presented similar workshops the Tennessee Stormwater Association,
permit dataviewer website, are with assistance from TDEC when the MTAS developed such a model, and it
scheduled to be heard in November previous two Phase II Permits were was approved by TDEC for statewide
2017. The permit remains in effect issued. usage.
despite the appeals. However, the The videoconference took place on The Model Stormwater Ordinance,
Department has elected to allow Jan. 5, and representatives from over mentioned above, which was later
MS4s to delay implementation 80 cities and counties statewide were accompanied by the Model Stormwater
of the permanent stormwater invited by TDEC to attend conference Utility Ordinance, has been updated as
requirements detailed in section uplinks at their TDEC Regional the permit requirements have changed
4.2.5 until Jan. 1, 2018, to allow Environmental Field Office: over the years. Various other models,
time for the appeals to be decided. All EFO videoconference rooms and templates, resources and training
During this time, you are expected equipment are reserved and ready offerings have also been developed
to continue to implement your
existing permanent stormwater
requirements.
6 TPW May/June 2017