Stormwater Management - Watershed Protection and

Restoration Program

Councilman Chris Everich

Or more accurately - "The Rain Tax"

AcknowledgementsResearch and Guidance from

Our Carroll County Commissioner Richard Rothschild

Vice President Frederick County Commissioner C. Paul Smith

Mayor Patrick RockinbergMonika Weierbach - Town AdministratorChairman Dick Swanson - Water and Sewer

Commission

IntroductionPurpose

This is a brief introduction on what we currently understand

Perhaps more importantly what we do NOT understand and what we are TRYING to understand

IntentUnderstand the Community & Council's

opinionThen based upon this partial information…How do we proceed?

DisclaimerFinal responsibility for content is Councilman Everich

Opinions and suggested actions are not necessarily supported by the contributors to this briefing

I believe in preserving the environment and the bay

I believe we can't afford yet another unfunded mandate forced upon us by the Governor and the Maryland State LegislatureThose who strongly support this issue must come forward

with a realistic fiscal plan to pay for this program in light of the demands for basic services in a weak economy

What?House Bill 987 signed into Law in April 2012

Establishes a system of stormwater remediation fees & a local water shed protection and restoration fund

Must be implemented by counties & municipalities that are subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination SystemKnown as the NPDES, required by Clean Water Act of Federal Code

More gobbledegook 'MS4' is the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System 'Phase I' MS4 covers unincorporated areas of county 'Phase II' MS4 covers incorporated areas of county (Mt. Airy)

Who is Subject?Anne ArundelBaltimore CityBaltimore CountyCarroll CountyCharles County

Frederick CountyHarford CountyHoward CountyMontgomery

CountyPrince George’s

County

When?Mt Airy helps fund Carroll County for all NPDES

needsOur partnership allows for NPDES to be more effective Includes the Frederick County parts of Mt. Airy

House Bill 987 says municipalities are not required to assess a stormwater remediation fee

However, Carroll County's Stormwater Fee Advisory Group expects the new permit requirements for MS4 to force mitigation of existing impervious surfaces - we will get hit!

When?Draft/tentative Phase II permit is not yet issued

MDE is required to notify all NPDES Phase II permit holders when the next generation “draft” or tentative “General Municipal/Phase II ” permit is published

Potential Schedule - (MDE has missed all dates so far)January 1, 2013 – NPDES Phase II MS4 Draft IssuedFebruary 15, 2013 – 45 day Public Hearing & CommentsMarch/April – Possible revisions and Final

Determination (New Permit Issued)May / June – Notice of Intent (Application) required to be

filed by TownJune/July – MDE issues new permit to Phase II applicants

What Could this Cost You?The total estimated cost for the Town of Mount Airy

is greater than $2,910,588 over a six-year period Estimate is from a preliminary Carroll County Study

completed in June of 2013Greater, since we do not have an estimate from

Frederick County for that portion of Mount Airy

That's at least $485,098 Average Annual Cost per year for six yearsRemember it will be significantly more once we

include Fredrick County

What Could this Cost You?Assume we use a flat rate tax per connection

3,204 Residential + 308 Commercial = 3,512 Total

$2,910,588 / 3,512 = at least $829 per connection Need to add in the Frederick County costs

This equates to at least $138.00 per year, per connection for six yearsOh, don't forget to add in that yearly flush tax

of $60

What Could this Cost You?Let's assume Frederick County portion at

$2,ooo,oooRemember, we don't hard any hard numbers

yet

$4,900,000 / 3,512 ~ $1400 per connection Using Kentucky windage for Frederick County

costs

This equates to at least $233 per year, per connection for six yearsAnd don't forget to add in that yearly flush tax

of $60

Next StepsMayor Rockinberg, Councilman Everich,

Administrator Weierbach have been meeting with Commissioners, staff, and local municipalities

Based solely on the costs to implement, a very strong movement is starting to avoid implementation

Suggestion to Council We join with the Carroll and Frederick County

and it's municipalities to fight this unreasonable fiscal burden

Or, the Council starts the process to implement this unreasonable, unrealistic & unaffordable tax

Discussion

Watershed Protection and Restoration Program – what does it pay for? The WPRF pays for stormwater management, and stream and

wetland restoration projects to improve water quality and reduce phosphorus and nitrogen levels entering the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.

The WPRF may be used for public outreach and education relating to stormwater management and wetland restoration.

The WPRF may be used to pay for the operation and maintenance of existing stormwater management programs and facilities, and for local stormwater management planning activities.

The WPRF provides funding for local stormwater management planning including: mapping, and assessment of impervious surfaces, inspection and enforcement to carry out the program, review stormwater management plans and permit applications for new developments.

Estimate Cost BreakdownOperations and Maintenance = $ 336,357Public Education and Outreach = $55,107Planning and Mapping = $292,787Monitoring, Inspections and Enforcement =

$88,151Administration = $46,000Total Cost for FY 13-18 = $2,910,588Average Annual Cost = $485,098Average Annual Capital Cost = $348,698Source: Draft Carroll County Study completed in

June 2013