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April 25, 2001
By JOHN CHARLES ROBBINS
Staff writer
Local governments need to prepare now for coming federal regulations controlling storm water runoff.
"The day of reckoning is coming," warned Soren Wolff, Holland city manager.
Wolff was addressing the policy committee of the Macatawa Area Coordinating Council. The committee met Monday at Hilltop
Center on Blue Star Highway.
As if on cue, thunder cracked and heavy rain began pelting the roof of the recently opened golf and conference center.
Committee co-chairman Ted Bosgraaf pointed to the ceiling with a pen.
"What you hear coming down is rain, but it turns into storm water, and the EPA wants to control it," Bosgraaf
said, "and we have until 2003 to put a plan into place."
The "we" includes smaller cities and towns temporarily exempt from the federal rules.
Phase I of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's storm water program was promulgated in 1990 under the Clean Water
Act.
Phase I involves regulations and permits to address storm water runoff from medium and large municipal storm sewer systems,
construction activity disturbing five acres of land or more, and 10 categories of industrial activity.
The "Storm Water Phase II Final Rule" is the next step in the EPA's effort to protect the nation's water resources
from polluted storm water runoff.
Phase II set a deadline of March 10, 2003, for small governmental units (with less than 100,000 population) to implement
programs and practices to control polluted storm water runoff.
The new regulations will also impact construction activities that disturb between one and five acres.
Wolff spoke several times, trying to emphasize the significance of the coming regulations, saying that cities will have
to meet water quality standards and the process will be expensive.
Bosgraaf agreed, stating, "This is not going to be a cheap program."
Bosgraaf cited one recent estimate that it will cost $9 per household annually to pay for storm water management programs.
"It's huge," said Holland Township Supervisor Terry Nienhuis, "It's a scary thing."
Bosgraaf served on a subcommittee that examined the storm water rules.
The subcommittee agreed the regulations should be handled as a watershed issue, and the units of government within the
watershed should work together on addressing the regulations.
The policy committee approved a motion to do just that.
Dave Langhorst, Zeeland's director of public services, said it makes sense to approach the storm water rules as a regional
watershed issue. However, he suggested a more powerful "authority" may need to be created, rather than an advisory
committee.
Wolff said while it doesn't make sense to have seven different storm water management programs in the Holland-Zeeland
area, he warned the gathered officials that a regional approach may not be possible.
"The law says you can be fined ... we need to be careful how we set this up," Wolff said.
The ultimate responsibility goes back to each of the governmental units, according to Wolff.
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