A Cleaner Charles River Campaign

Advocacy Alert Sent Out: February 9, 2005

All operators of storm sewer systems, including municipalities and public agencies, are required to have stormwater discharge permits, which are administered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The permit regulations call for operators to follow a basic set of practices to ensure that stormwater discharges do not violate the Federal Clean Water Act. Though improvements have been made, stormwater remains one of the primary factors causing the Charles to exceed state water quality standards for fishing and swimming. Testing of storm drain water shows that there are still serious problems in some communities.

EPA is holding a hearing on February 15, 2005 to review the stormwater management plans for nine towns - Weston, Wellesley, Dedham, Needham, Newton, Waltham, Watertown, Brookline and Cambridge - whose stormwater flows into the lower Charles River. The Department of Conservation and Recreation's (DCR) plan is also being considered at the hearing. DCR manages 128 parks, including the 17-mile long Charles River Reservation. We encourage members of the public to submit comments, either in person at the hearing on February 15, 2005, or in writing by midnight of February 17, 2005. The hearing will be from 1-3 PM at The Tip O'Neill Federal Building, 10 Causeway Street in Boston, MA in Conference Room A.

Take Action Now!

Write a letter to EPA

• Stormwater Discharges and the Charles River Fact Sheet
• Sample Letter to the EPA

Read about the issue

• Stormwater Discharges and the Charles River Fact Sheet
• Newton Tab Article about Stormwater Discharges

Tell others about the Cleaner River Campaign