Water district rep: Act now to avoid EPA regulations

By Mark Boshnack
Staff Writer

June 20, 2009 04:00 am

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ONEONTA _ A representative from the Otsego County Soil and Water Conservation District discussed Thursday night how local governments in the Susquehanna River Basin can fight against further storm-water pollution regulations.

The presentation by Soil and Water District Manager Scott Fickbohm was given at the Science Building 1 at the State University College at Oneonta. Ten people were in attendance.

Many municipalities are taking steps to lessen nonpoint-source storm-water pollution, Fickbohm said. This type of pollution is from a non-specific source, such as construction site runoff.

It could be subject to regulation by the federal Environmental Protection Agency in 2011, he said, as it seeks to reduce pollution in Chesapeake Bay.

Point-source storm-water pollution, such as discharge from a wastewater-treatment plant, is not included in the possible action, he said.

The Susquehanna passes through Oneonta, which has a wastewater-treatment plant.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation is negotiating with the EPA about the impact of such pollution from the Susquehanna River Basin on the Chesapeake Bay, Fickbohm said. The Susquehanna River empties into the Chesapeake.

By following certain DEC measures to ensure clean water, Fickbohm said, further regulation could be unnecessary.

The DEC measures outlined were: public education and outreach, public involvement and participation, illicit-discharge detection and elimination, construction and post-construction site runoff control, pollution prevention and good housekeeping.

Also potentially helpful, he said, is a municipality documenting what steps it is taking to meet guidelines. Such actions could include street sweeping and hazardous-collection days, he said.

Fickbohm and other agency members are meeting with local government officials to discuss actions that are part of the Oneonta Storm Water program, which is funded through a DEC grant.

Some of those at the meeting said it was informative.

Otsego County Rep. Martha Stayton, D-Oneonta, said, "It's always helpful to know what is going on."

Oneonta City Environmental Board Chairman David Hutchison said the guidelines presented could be useful.