| CRMP contracted with engineers and scientists to develop a BMP ranking report specific to coastal Mississippi. The BMPs identified in the interim toolbox were ranked based on four categories: effective pollutant reduction, costs, maintenance, and community approval. |
There is such a thing as having too much information. With a wide selection of national best management practices (BMPs) to choose from, many smaller coastal cities and counties in Mississippi found themselves slowed by an overabundance of information during a race to fulfill federal mandates to develop a plan to manage storm water runoff.
Which BMPs were appropriate for their area? Which were best and most cost effective? Which had been successfully implemented in similar communities?
The Mississippi Gulf Coast Stormwater Runoff Management Toolbox was created to help the state's 14 coastal cities and counties meet the deadline for complying with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) new storm water management regulations by providing guidance toward answering these and other questions.
"We had to work swiftly to get a tool in their hands that would provide an inventory of coast-specific BMPs that they could use," says Marcia Garcia, staff officer for the Mississippi Department of Marine Resource's Comprehensive Resource Management Plan (CRMP). "Our goal was not to reinvent the wheel, but we wanted to get our arms around all this information and pull it down to some main focal points."
The CRMP's storm water toolbox provides easily accessible information on Gulf-specific pollution prevention options, vendors and products, pros and cons of selected and ranked best management practices, and examples of how to educate the public.
The toolbox, Garcia says, is a successful illustration of how the state's coastal region is working together to address growth and environmental challenges.
Not Just a Phase
Amendments to the Clean Water Act established a two-part program to improve the quality of the nation's streams, rivers, lakes, and estuaries by managing storm water runoff. Phase II of EPA's storm water program requires smaller municipalities and construction sites and urban areas adjacent to municipalities to develop, implement, and evaluate a storm water management program, and submit periodic reports.
Three coastal counties and 11 cities in Mississippi were among the communities racing to meet the March 10, 2003, deadline for developing a storm water management plan.
To assist communities in their planning process, the EPA provided a number of national BMP examples, and information was offered by watershed conservation groups, local and state government agencies, and numerous other organizations. Many examples, however, are site-specific, and what may be appropriate in one region may not be the best choice for another area of the country. Sifting through all the available information to select the most appropriate BMPs can be difficult for busy city and county staff.
The CRMP staff compiled Gulf-appropriate storm water management information from numerous sources, ranging from the EPA, the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, and the Natural Resources Defense Council to extension materials from around the country. Using this research, an initial inventory of BMPs for the state's coast was developed.
"We waded for a year through all the information that is out there, trying to pull it down to a usable product," Garcia says. "We wanted it to suit the needs of our coastal communities and be appropriate for them."
On Target
Before CRMP began the project, it developed and distributed surveys of more than 300 stakeholders from across the state's coastal region to gain a better understanding of local concerns and awareness of storm water runoff management.
"What we wanted to do was take a look at what was available, what was not available, what people knew, and what they didn't know about storm water runoff and nonpoint source pollution," Garcia says.
The survey results showed a wide range of understanding and awareness of the topics, and helped CRMP identify local issues and concerns, which gave the toolbox its direction.
In August of 2002, CRMP provided cities and counties with an "interim deliverable" of a large three-ring binder of information on BMP options, examples of state or local programs, lists of available educational materials, case studies, resources, and other information.
Expanding the Box
Throughout the process, the nonregulatory CRMP gathered feedback on the toolbox from its stakeholders, which include local, state, and federal agencies, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and citizens. Stakeholder representatives formed a storm water task force.
"Much of the feedback was requests for more detailed information, such as getting the pros and cons associated with the best management practices," Garcia says. The stakeholders also requested a ranking of best management practices, model ordinances, and vendor information.
CRMP contracted with engineers and scientists to develop a BMP ranking report specific to coastal Mississippi. The BMPs identified in the interim toolbox were ranked based on four categories: effective pollutant reduction, costs, maintenance, and community approval.
"The unique character of Mississippi's coast and its pollution issues were taken into account when they recommended the scores," notes Garcia.
CRMP looked at cities and counties around the nation to develop model ordinances that could be customized to meet local needs. A notebook was put together with examples of storm water vendors and products.
Other tools include self-scoring checklists that communities can use to gauge how well they are addressing various aspects of managing storm water runoff, as well as general forms for inspecting, tracking, and reporting. To enhance local maps, CRMP provided the coastal cities and counties with geographic information system (GIS) storm water data layers.
Training on how to use the toolbox was offered at storm water task force meetings, stakeholder meetings, and at CRMP's annual Coastal Development Strategies Conferences. Information on the toolbox will be presented at the upcoming conference being held May 10 through 12 in Biloxi.
Funding for the toolbox came from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, which administers the Mississippi Coastal Impact Assistance Program (CIAP). CIAP is a federally sponsored program that provides money for the state and counties to address issues that relate to the coastal environment and ecology.
The toolbox is now available on the Internet and is being used to help the Phase II communities in Mississippi implement their plans.
Many Levels of Success
The main measure of the toolbox's success, Garcia says, "is that the cities and counties are using it." It also helped fulfill requirements towards approval of the state's nonpoint source pollution program, has generated interest from other Gulf states, and has helped demonstrate the power of a region working together.
"It fulfills a lot, and we're very proud of it," Garcia says. "It's helped us come together as a region and understand the value of what we have here."
To view the Mississippi Gulf Coast Stormwater Runoff Management Toolbox, point your browser to www.dmr.state.ms.us. Click on CRMP on the left menu. On the next page, click on Storm Water on the right menu. You may also contact Marcia Garcia at (228) 374-5022, ext. 5135, or marcia.garcia@dmr.state.ms.us. To view the national menu of BMPs for Storm Water Phase II go to http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater/menuofbmps/menu.cfm.
