Charles River Watershed Association

Stormwater – or runoff from rainfall and snowmelt – is the largest source of water pollution in the Commonwealth’s rivers, lakes and harbors, many of which fail to meet water quality standards and are too polluted to fish, swim or sometimes even boat in. It is also the main cause of flooding, causing millions of dollars in damage every year, threatening dam stability and disrupting critical services. Current regulations governing stormwater are not enough to solve existing stormwater problems, which will only get worse with climate change

EPA has issued a draft of a new permit that will cover certain land owners, including large commercial, industrial and high-density residential properties, whose sites have two or more acres of impervious surface (areas such as parking lots, roads and rooftops where water cannot be absorbed into the ground). Properties that fall under the new permit will need to control the polluted stormwater that drains off their site.

CRWA’s science demonstrates the enormous impacts these kinds of sites have: because of their vast paved over areas and high volumes of traffic, they contribute high levels of pollution to the river, and contribute to rapid flooding problems.

The regulations will require that these newly regulated properties develop and implement a stormwater control plan that will introduce basic “good housekeeping” measures, and will reduce annual phosphorus loading by 65% over “no control” conditions. Both non-structural and structural practices can be used to comply with the requirement. Existing stormwater controls will be given credit towards the requirement as appropriate. The draft permit allows for, but does not require, an “opt-out” provision if a municipality develops a qualifying phosphorus control program (such as a stormwater utility) which the property owner joins. The draft permit will also allow for trading, so property owners with difficult sites can fund phosphorus control at other locations and obtain clean-up credit. The program is intended to compliment the new municipal stormwater permit (the “MS4” permit) which lays out similar requirements for the municipality. EPA plans to roll the program out across the entire Charles River watershed in the near future.

CRWA applauds EPA’s new program, and will be developing a major outreach campaign to support its goals. For more information, see EPA's website and check back here for updates.

EPA's public comment period on the draft permit and new regulations ended September 30, 2010. Click here to read CRWA's comments.

Details on the new regulations

Click here to read our FAQs about the new regulations, phosphorus pollution in the Charles, and background information. (Click here to download in printable PDF format.)

Click here for a one-page info sheet with background information about EPA's new regulations (PDF).

Read CRWA Executive Director Bob Zimmerman's testimony on the regulations, given at the June 22 Public Meeting held in Franklin.

Please contact Kate Bowditch at CRWA if you would like more information about the regulations or CRWA's perspective on stormwater pollution. Click here for contact information.