TPDES Stormwater Regulations in the Lower Rio Grande Valley

1. STORMWATER REGULATIONS: TEXAS POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM (TPDES) IN THE LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY Presented by: Hernan Lugo, E.I.T., CFM Project Manager, City of Alton

2. NPDES & TPDES • National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) is a federal program administer by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Clean Water Act (CWA) to control the discharges of pollutants to surface waters of the U.S. • On September 14, 1998, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) was authorized by EPA to administer NPDES in the state of Texas under the name of Texas Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (TPDES) • Discharges associated with oil, gas and geothermal exploration are regulated by Texas Railroad Commission.

3. TPDES PERMITS • TPDES STORMWATER PERMITS: • Industrial Stormwater Permits (TXR050000) • Construction Stormwater Permit (TXR150000) • Municipal Stormwater Permit (TXR040000)

4. TXR040000 • MUNICIPAL SEPARATE STORM SEWER SYSTEM (MS4) • “Refers to a conveyance or system of conveyances (including roads with drainage systems, municipal streets, catch basins, curbs, gutters, ditches, man-made channels, or storm drains)” • Designed and used to collect and/or convey stormwater • Not a combined sewer (Storm & Sanitary Sewers) • Is not part of a Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW)

5. MS4s CLASSIFICATION • Phase I MS4s • Municipalities With Population 100,000+ • Existing Individual NPDES Permits • TCEQ Renewing as TPDES Permits • Collect analytical data • Phase II MS4s • “Small” MS4s Serving a Population <100,000 • Phase II (Small) MS4 General Permit -TXR040000, Issued August 13, 2007

6. TASK FORCE HISTORY • Formed in 2001 • By Laws developed by the TF govern our organization • Annual fee paid to the fiscal agent (TAMUK) via an interlocal agreement that governs the group. Agreement is renewed annually. • Newest members joined in 2009 and 2010, City of Palm Valley and Cameron County. We are currently negotiating membership with cities.

7. TASK FORCE HIGHLIGHTS • 16 Local Governments comprise the Task Force • Task Force meets regularly • 9 committees (outreach, ordinance, training, grant, construction, housekeeping, annual report, scholarship, and ID&E) • Other committees as needed (conference, LID) • TAMUK administers meetings and programs • Interlocal agreements • with TAMUK • Task Force developed Stormwater Management Plans and obtained permits from TCEQ to meet TPDES requirements • Annual fee for operating costs Official Logo of The Rio Grande Valley TPDES Task Force

8. REPRESENTATIVES City of Brownsville –Joe Hinojosa* City of La Feria – Irene Szedlmayer City of Donna – Fernando Flores City of San Juan – Tony Hernandez City of Alton – Hernan Lugo* Cameron County– Ernesto Hinojosa, P.E. City of San Benito – Timothy Ginn City of Palmhurst – Celina Perez City of Pharr – Grace Segovia City of Weslaco – Roy Jimenez City of Mission – Jo Ann Serna* City of La Joya – Isidro Venecia City of Harlingen – Omar Rios City of Santa Rosa – Rey Trevino City of Alamo – Alex De La Rosa* City of Palm Valley– Rosendo Flores * - Officers

9. Main MissionTPDES Stormwater Plans • Plans developed by Task Force were adopted by all members • Although the SWMPs are individually catered to each member there are many regional aspects to the plan • Regional aspects include outreach, training, website , policy planning • Active projects: PSAs, conferences, SEPA (training program funded by IBWC), grants (RDF, LID, 319, Border 2012), classrooms ppts

10. TASK FORCE PRIORITY TASKS • TF must find funding ideas to comply with this unfunded mandate • TF must develop ordinances • TF must develop effective Best Management Practices (BMPs) • TAMUK will assist the TF • TF uses the A&M system’s nationwide network to gather information, obtain grants, etc. • Implement SWMP by 2012

11. Task Force Advantages • Allows Cities to discuss other environmental issues that may require research support from TAMUK • TAMUK will use the Task Force as a forum to obtain letters of support for select projects (and vice versa) • TAMUK will spearhead grant efforts for the Task Force and/or individual local governments.

12. Task Force Advantages • The TF provides a united regional voice when dealing with regulators • The TF mission provides support to two legs (NPS, Wastewater outfalls) of the Arroyo Colorado TMDL project and the ACWP • Institutionalization of innovative BMPs requires a regional buy in (LID) • TAMUK will network with other universities, institutes, and similar entities through the Task Force to provide additional support (TTI, UTB, STC)

13. Task Force Major Projects • Stormwater Plan implementation • Upcoming research projects – RDF study and LID study • Ordinance development • PSA – 3 clips, 1 documentary (WISD) • SEPA – Soil Erosion Pollution Awareness (funded by IBWC, TF and TAMUK) TF working with TTI in a course certification program • SEP being developing for revenue support • Scholarship program • Website (Under construction) • Classroom presentations (over 5K students annually)

14. TASK FORCE OUTLOOK • More Cities expected to join the Task Force once TCEQ starts aggressively enforcing permit acquisition • Task Force has become a state and nationally renowned organization • TAMUK College of Engineering will continue to invest support to this group • Website (http://www.stormwater.stei.org/) • IT WORKS!

15. STORMWATER REGULATIONS: TEXAS POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM (TPDES) IN THE LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY

16. CONTACT INFORMATION Hernan Lugo, E.I.T., CFM. Project Manager City of Alton 509 S. Alton Blvd. Alton, TX. 78573 Phone: (956) 432-0760 Fax: (956) 432-0766 Email: hernan.lugo@alton-tx.gov