| Storm Water Discharges From Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4) |
Overview |
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The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development's Municipal Separate Storm
Sewer System (MS4) Web-site is published as a control measure to address the requirements
of its statewide MS4 Phase II permit. This permit was issued to DOTD by the
Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality. Compliance with this permit is the
responsibility of DOTD. The LA DEQ and the U.S. EPA are the regulatory agencies
responsible for enforcing this permit. Compliance with this MS4 permit is achieved
through a Departmental Storm Water program which is managed by DOTD's Environmental
Evaluation Unit. This web-site is designed to assist in the national effort to
educate the public to a better understanding of the municipal storm sewer system
initiative for improving the quality of the nation's surface waters. Additionally
and more specifically, this web-site serves as a contact between DOTD and the public,
allowing individuals a means to report illicit discharges occurring within DOTD's system
of highways. To the extent the public follows best management practices and reports
spills or illicit discharges, DOTD will have an increased ability to maintain compliance
with the conditions of its MS4 permit.
In 1987, Congress amended the Clean Water Act (CWA) to require a two phase implementation of a comprehensive national strategy for addressing storm water discharges. Phase I requires operators of medium and large municipal storm sewer systems, those that generally serve a population of 100,000 or greater, to obtain NPDES permits and implement a storm water management program. Phase II of the amended CWA regulates small MS4s. Certain operators of small municipal storm sewer systems, mostly those located in urbanized areas, are required to implement practices to control polluted storm water runoff from the jurisdiction serviced by the municipal storm sewer system. The operator must design its storm water management program to satisfy applicable CWA water quality requirements. Each program must include the development and implementation of best management practices (BMPs) and measurable goals for six minimum control measures. As the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development strives to improve mobility across Louisiana, it is the Department's responsibility to plan, design, construct, and maintain transportation facilities throughout the state. It is the goal of the LaDOTD to perform each of these duties in an environmentally-sensitive manner. The LaDOTD was issued a statewide MS4 Phase II permit in 2003. |
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What Is A MS4 ? |
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| The definition of a municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) is often complex and misunderstood.
The term MS4 is a broad term that does not only refer to municipally owned storm sewer systems. It can also include
systems owned by State departments of transportation, universities, local sewer districts, hospitals, military bases, and prisons.
An MS4 is not only a system of underground pipes, but can include roads with drainage systems, gutters, and ditches. The regulatory
definition of an MS4 is provided below.
According to 40 CFR 122.26(b)(8), "municipal separate storm sewer means a convenance or system of conveyances (including roads with drainage systems, municipal streets, catch basins, curbs, gutters, ditches, man-made channels, or storm drains: A conveyance or system of conveyances (including roads with drainage systems, municipal streets, catch basins, curbs, gutters, ditches, man-made channels, or storm drains):
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