Assessment Procedures for Municipal Facilities and Operations: Non-Technical Guidelines Allow City Employees To Self-Identify Stormwater Management Needs

New York City’s recently released Stormwater Management Program (SWMP) Plan includes a pollution prevention/good housekeeping (PP/GH) program for a variety of on-site and off-site operations associated with approximately 800 municipal facilities. The City’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) spearheaded the design, development and implementation of this program in coordination with twelve independent agencies, collaborating through a Stormwater Controls Working Group and with two independent consultant teams. Routine, prioritized self-assessments defined the stormwater pollution risk associated with each operation, supporting development of a stormwater control plan appropriate for the operation and its assessed pollution risk. Standard operating procedures (SOPs), written in language easy to understand by non-stormwater professionals, provide a structured methodology for each agency and facility manager to collaboratively develop an initial plan for each facility and periodically re-assess each facility to review pollution risks, confirm plan implementation, and refine stormwater controls where necessary.