MRBPLG - Walmart Grant

WALMART STORM WATER COMPLIANCE TEAM GRANT

With the assistance of the Walmart Storm Water Compliance Team Water Quality Grant Program, the MRBPLG developed an outreach initiative entitled “MS2 - Municipal Stormwater Stewards” to create an instantly recognizable allusion to the EPA MS4 program. The MS2 initiative was designed to assist the core partners with training to enhance their existing Phase II stormwater programs. Funding from the Walmart Grant Program will pay for design and installation of innovative best management practices (BMPs) such as rain gardens, bio-swales, permeable pavement/concrete, and green roofs. An educational component was also developed focusing on stormwater pollutants, what can be done to reduce those pollutants, and increasing the awareness of water quality regulations within the Maumee River Basin.

The overall goals of the “MS2 – Municipal Stormwater Stewards” initiative are to develop knowledgeable and experienced MS4 staff, provide appropriate information to the public, and encourage communities to lead by example when protecting stormwater quality. This initiative can become a model for other areas throughout the United States showing an example of successful outreach and training that can be offered to expand existing MS4 programs.

Training: The MRBPLG utilized their Coordinator, Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Ltd. to develop and facilitate a series of 4 trainings held throughout the Maumee River Basin designed to provide resources to knowledgeable MS4 staff, to provide examples of the economic benefits of stormwater programs, and to encourage communities to lead by example when protecting stormwater quality. This workshop series, the Municipal Stormwater Stewards (MS2) series, was developed for elected officials, economic development, planning, and MS4 staff in regulated communities that wished to enhance or expand their existing MS4 programs.

Training sessions were held in Fort Wayne, IN (September 22, 2009); Lima (October 26, 2009), Defiance (October 28, 2009), and Bowling Green (November 4, 2009), OH and presented the valuable information to more than 40 individuals representing 27 individual municipal entities and engineering firms in the Maumee River Basin. Presentations were given that focused on providing attendees an overview of MS4 programs and requirements, how to get economic value out of stormwater programs, and in depth reviews of each MCM in the Phase II program. Evaluations that were completed and returned after each session showed that attendees routinely ranked the speakers at 4 or 5 (1=poor; 5=excellent) and overall comments were positive and appreciative.

BMPs: Each community signing a Memorandum of Understanding for the administration of this grant is eligible for $20,000 to develop and install an innovative BMP in their jurisdiction. Each community is asked to provide details of the project such as location, cost, accessibility of the public, and expected pollutant load and stormwater volume reductions due to the BMP. The Sub-Committee reviews each application packet and utilizes a score sheet (attached to this report) to evaluate each proposed project. To date, 6 communities have prepared and submitted “mini-applications” for review by the grant Sub-committee.

Bowling Green, OH	New Haven, IN
Defiance, OH	Paulding, OH
Leo-Cedarville, IN	Perrysburg, OH
Lima, OH	Fort Wayne, IN

Educational: Materials have been gathered and created that will assist Core Communities and other regional partners in educating themselves and their residents on the benefits of protecting stormwater quality. These materials are beneficial for both residents and municipal officials wanting to learn more on how their actions may positively or negatively impact water quality in their community, as well as the entire Maumee River Basin.