Minutes 03/11/2014 - Laserfiche WebLink

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March 11, 2014 Background: • The Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (Bay TMDL) requires the District of Columbia, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and New York to reduce water pollution in the rivers and streams connected to the Chesapeake Bay. Discussion: • Executive Order (EO) 13508 and the Clean Water Act set the parameters for the Chesapeake Bay TMDL. • The Bay TMDL establishes nutrient reduction targets for the clean-up and restoration of the Bay. For Urban Stormwater Runoff, the nutrient loading is based on land use types. • The Chesapeake Bay Program uses a computer model that predicts nutrient loadings from various land uses to determine nutrient reduction requirements for localities. The model makes assumptions about local land use without the benefit of using locally provided data. • Localities are required to develop strategies and action plans to achieve nutrient reductions as part of their Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Permits. • Local land use data can be used to more accurately predict nutrient loadings from land use types and assist localities in developing more cost-effective and more appropriate strategies to achieve nutrient reductions. Local data can also be used to make adjustments the Chesapeake Bay Program model. • The MS4 Phase 1 communities (population of at least 100,000 at the time of initial permitting) have decided to pursue a regional water quality monitoring effort to achieve some cost efficiencies by dividing the land use types between the 6 localities - Portsmouth, Chesapeake, Norfolk, Hampton, Newport News and Virginia Beach. • This effort is being coordinated through the Hampton Roads Regional Planning District Commission and other partners include the Hampton Roads Sanitation District (sampling, laboratory analysis, etc) and the U.S. Geological Survey (project management, data-analysis, etc.). Financial Impact • This project requires a five year commitment from the City of Portsmouth. The annual cost for this program is $84,000. These funds are available in the VPDES Permit Compliance line in the Stormwater Capital Improvement Budget. If pursued alone, this effort would cost the City of Portsmouth $500,000 per year. Recommended Action: • Adoption of the resolution. Vision Principles: Neighborhoods and a Sense of Community, and a Robust Economy for Working Men and Women. Next Steps Following Council Action: • Sign MOA and process initial invoice. 1. Donna Sayegh, 3104 Garland Drive, spoke in opposition to this item. Motion by Ms. Psimas, and seconded by Mr. Meeks, to adopt the following resolution, and was adopted by the following vote: "RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF PORTSMOUTH AND THE HAMPTON ROADS PLANNING DISTRICT COMMISSION FOR A REGIONAL WATER QUALITY MONITORING PROGRAM TO SATISFY THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL AND STATE LAW AND REDUCE WATER POLLUTION IN THE CHESAPEAKE BAY AND ITS TRIBUTARIES. WHEREAS, federal and state laws require the development and implementation of strategies to reduce water pollution in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries; and WHEREAS, the Cities of Portsmouth, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk and Virginia Beach are designated as "Phase 1" communities under Virginia's Municipal Separate Storm Sewer (MS4) Permits; and