[Durham INC] Partnership is Best for City/County Stormwater Solutions

Mon Jul 28 02:22:54 EDT 2014

I am glad that Mr Williams is open to the formation of a City-County Stormwater Committee to guide and streamline all of Durham's stormwater management entities, so that they are truly collaborative and holistic partners, playing to each others' strengths while minimizing redundancies and, thus, any waste of public funds.

After reading his response, I have a few concerns/comments for members of the INC listserv:

1) I am always given the 'different rules and regs' line when I inquire about more partnership bw  City Stormwater Services and SWCD and the county.

Apparently these regs/rules don't prohibit worthwhile and sincere collaborations and partnerships with other entities, and they certainly should not prohibit a collaborative and holistic city-county (including the SWCD) approach to Durham's stormwater management.

2) I am concerned with the statement that the Little Lick Creek Watershed plan is necessary to satisfy new federal criteria 'in order for projects to receive funding under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act'. 

What is the cost-versus-benefits analysis here?

In other words, how much funding does City Stormwater Services receive from successful 319 grants per year compared to the whopping $1.4 M that is apparently required to bring the LLC Watershed plan 'up to code' in order to successfully apply for 319 funds?

Keep in mind that there is no guarantee that Stormwater Services will be rewarded 319 funding even if a new LLC Watershed plan is obtained. These are grant applications we are talking about, with more applicants than awardees.

Furthermore, other Durham entities like the SWCD apply for the same 319 funding, and Durham City Stormwater Services has historically competed rather than partnered with the SWCD in this regard. Doesn't this seem to undermine the basis for obtaining the 319 funding in the first place? Who cares who gets the funding, as long as it is successfully used in Durham? The taxpayer certainly shouldn't.

3) The fact that at least these two entities (SWCD and city Stormwater Services) are competing for the same grants, often for very similar projects, constitutes at least one duplication. Thus, I am more disturbed than comforted by the statement that:

> In fact, a 2010 joint memorandum by the Durham County Engineering and Environmental Services, the City of Durham Stormwater and GIS Services Division for the Joint City-County Committee addressed duplication and determined there was none.

4) I am also concerned that the numerous orgs mentioned as essential to City Stormwater partnerships do not include the SWCD or Durham County Stormwater/Engineering. 

This only strengthens my resolve that a city-county stormwater management committee is needed.

5) Furthermore, I believe it is our elected officials, not the EAB, who should determine whether and how a Joint City-County Stormwater Management Committee would be formed. One need only note Mr. Williams' comment that the SWCD but not Stormwater Services has a seat at EAB meetings to recognize why this is the case.

I am heartened by Mr Williams' prompt communication regarding this issue/request and look forward to reaching a conclusion that is best for all of Durham.

Sincerely,
Melissa (Rooney)

www.melissarooneywriting.com

Sent from my iPad

On Jul 25, 2014, at 13:46, PublicAffairs <PublicAffairs at durhamnc.gov> wrote:

> Below is a response to a commentary written by Melissa Rooney about the City's Stormwater Division and the Soil and Water Conservation District.  The response, written by Public Works Director Marvin Williams, will appear in Sunday's Durham News. 
>  
>  
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>  
> CITY OF DURHAM
> Office of Public Affairs
> 101 CITY HALL PLAZA
> DURHAM, NC 27701
>  
> News Release
>  
> News Media Contact:
> Beverly B. Thompson
> Director of Public Affairs
> (919) 560-4123 x 11229
> (919) 475-2362 (cell)
> Beverly.Thompson at DurhamNC.gov
> http://Facebook.com/CityofDurhamNC
> http://Twitter.com/CityofDurhamNC
> http://YouTube.com/CityofDurhamNC
>  
> For Immediate Release: July 25, 2014
> Share!  Partnership is Best for City/County Stormwater Solutions;  http://bit.ly/1qE2OTr
>  
>  
> Partnership is Best for City/County Stormwater Solutions
> By: Marvin Williams, City of Durham Public Works Director
>  
> Discussions about how to better protect a precious resource such as water are always helpful, as was the July 11 Durham News commentary entitled “Better Stormwater Solutions.” Durham County’s Soil and Water Conservation District and the City’s Stormwater Services division share a concern for the environmental impacts of stormwater runoff, but have different missions and are held to different regulatory standards.
>  
> While Stormwater Services is heavily regulated by state and federal clean water agencies, the Soil and Water Conservation District, which works closely with farmers and homeowners, has no enforcement authority, nor can it be sued because a plan or project has not occurred or has not performed as expected. This important difference affects all aspects of how water pollution programs are approached within the City of Durham versus the Soil and Water Conservation District.
>  
> The City’s efforts to control and manage stormwater runoff, an important piece of the national water pollution control strategy, are guided by numerous permits and regulations. The City holds a federal stormwater permit and six industrial stormwater permits. If the City fails to do what is in these permits, the City faces fines and potential lawsuits. The Soil and Water Conservation District is insulated from this strict accountability mechanism, and the constant oversight by state and federal agencies that comes with permits. They are also exempt from the annual reporting, technical calculations, and verification required of the City Stormwater program. 
>  
> The City’s Stormwater program also manages a storm drain maintenance and capital improvement program for all of the City’s stormwater infrastructure, along with the City’s participation in the National Flood Insurance Program. 
>  
> Even though the City’s Stormwater program is a recognized leader in North Carolina, the Stormwater and GIS Services Division cannot accomplish its mission without assistance from other groups such as Keep Durham Beautiful, for removing litter from our streams and creeks, and with which both the City and Soil and Water Conservation District  programs partner to sponsor Big Sweep and Creek Week cleanups.  City Stormwater also works with Durham County Environmental Health on failing septic systems and restaurants with grease disposal issues, with Durham County Erosion and Sediment Control on construction site issues, and with the Durham County Stormwater Manager when we encounter pollution outside city limits.
>  
> Outside of these local government partnerships, City Stormwater regularly works with five local watershed and streamwatch groups, two river basin groups, seven state agencies, and researchers at seven universities. Each partnership provides a benefit to the City, and each agency works hard to avoid any duplications of effort.  In fact, a 2010 joint memorandum by the Durham County Engineering and Environmental Services, the City of Durham Stormwater and GIS Services Division for the Joint City-County Committee addressed duplication and determined there was none.
>  
> Lastly, federal funding criteria have changed since the original Little Lick Creek local watershed plan was completed eight years ago. EPA now requires that watershed plans contain nine specific elements in order for projects to receive funding under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act. The original plan did not have all nine elements and has been used to deny grant funding. By updating the Little Lick Creek watershed plan, the District will be able to use the new plan to justify projects in the Little Lick Creek watershed, like the one proposed for Southern High School.
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> The Environmental Affairs Board (which reports to the Joint City-County Planning Committee) is a good place to have a discussion about the need for a Watersheds Improvement Committee, and the Soil and Water Conservation District has a seat on that board (City Stormwater does not). We welcome any discussion that occurs about the formation of such a committee.
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>  
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