Stormwater Noncompliance in New Orleans July 2009
Welcome to the first of what, unfortunately, is likely to be many
posts regarding noncompliance of EPA stormwater management practices
in New Orleans.
As we continue to rebuild, hundreds of millions of
federal dollars are being spent on large projects. These projects are
required to meet stringent rules regarding the control of
nonpoint-source pollution, meaning runoff of silt and pollution into
storm drain systems and then into lakes and streams.
Every project that disturbs more than one acre is required by law to
file a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP or Swip Plan) with
the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality. Then a permit is
issued based on acceptance of the plan. This entails building silt
fences utilizing a fairly broad (and growing) variety of techniques, and taking strong steps to prevent runoff from the construction
site. Additionally, the construction company (or engineers or
architects) who filed the plan must actually follow the plan and
maintain these systems to ensure their integrity in preventing
pollution.
So far, we have found no evidence of SWPPP permits for any of the
projects depicted in this blog. And, if such permits exist, as these
pictures reveal, compliance means more than filing a plan. It means
ensuring there is no runoff into storm drains.
Recently , the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation announced that the lake is healthy, and that it was shifting it's focus to saving the coast. These pictures reveal that their hard work is far from over. This silt drains to and pollutes the lake. If any nongovernmental entity must step up to attack this problem it is the LPBF.
However, it is truly up to DEQ, EPA and the City of New Orleans Codes & Permits division to demand and enforce the law. Perhaps there are other agencies who can and should step up.
Some would argue that these systems are broken by design. I contend that as the New Orleans area heals, we can and must fix these broken systems. It is my hope that by starting this blog, eyes will be opened and action
will be taken.
The following pictures were taken July 28-31, 2009 at the sites of Langston Hughes Elementary School on Trafalgar, Greater Gentilly High and Holy Cross High on Paris Rd and the sites of the former projects at St Bernard and BW Cooper.
