SPONSOR:   

Sen. Hocker  

 

 

 

DELAWARE STATE SENATE

148th GENERAL ASSEMBLY

 

SENATE AMENDMENT NO. 2

TO

SENATE BILL NO. 253

 

 

 

 

 


 


AMEND Senate Bill 253 by deleting lines 25 thru 29, inclusive, thereof, and by inserting in lieu thereof the following:

 (b) Unless a waiver is granted the construction of agricultural structures such as broiler houses, machine sheds, repair shops, and other major buildings shall require approval of a sediment and stormwater management plan, by the appropriate plan approval agency, prior to initiation of construction.  The Department shall adopt standard plans   for the   construction  of  agriculture structures and it shall not be necessary for any person seeking approval to submit a sediment and stormwater management plan.

FURTHER AMEND Senate Bill 253 by deleting line 31 thereof and by inserting in lieu thereof the following:

(d) Subject to sediment and erosion controls, land disturbing activities of 1 acre or less, excluding non-residential properties, are not subject to the provisions of this chapter.

(e) Land disturbing activities not subject to the land management practices set  forth  in  subsection (a) of this section which are conducted  on 10 acres or less of agricultural lands for agricultural purposes shall be subject to standard plans adopted by the Department, and it shall not be necessary for  any  person  seeking approval  to  submit a detailed  sediment and stormwater management  plan.

(f)  Subject  to  water  quality  management  and  sediment  and  erosion  controls, non­ erosive conveyances of stormwater discharges from  land  disturbing activities which drain into tidal areas and tidal waters are not subject to the quantity management provisions of this chapter.

FURTHER AMEND  Senate  Bill  253  by  deleting  lines 35 thru  38,  inclusive, thereof,  and  by inserting in lieu thereof the following:

(c) The Department shall develop such regulations in conjunction with and with substantial concurrence of a regulatory advisory committee, appointed by the Secretary, which shall include representatives of the regulated community and others affected by this chapter. The Secretary shall appoint only one (1) representative of the Department to the regulatory   advisory committee and no legal representatives of any of those serving on the committee shall be entitled to be a member of the committee. The recommendations of this committee shall be presented at all public workshops and hearings related to the adoption of the regulations implementing this chapter. Prior to final promulgation of regulations under this chapter, the Secretary shall explain, in writing, any differences between the advisory committee recommendations and the final regulations.  The regulations may include, but are not limited to, the following items:

(1)     Criteria for the delegation of program elements;

(2)  Types of activities consistent with the provisions of this Chapter that require a sediment and stormwater management permit;

(3)  Waivers, exemptions and variances;

(4)  Sediment and stormwater plan approval fees and performance bonds;

                                (5)  Criteria for distribution of funds collected by sediment and stormwater plan approval fees;

(6)  Criteria for implementation of a stormwater runoff utility;

(7)  Specific design criteria and minimum standards, and specifications, provided that any design criteria,  standards  and  specifications  adopted  shall  be  technologically  feasible   and uniformly  capable of being  satisfied;

(8)  Permit application and approval requirements;

(9)  Criteria for approval of designated watersheds;

(10) Criteria regarding attendance and completion of departmental sponsored  or approved training courses in sediment and stormwater control that will be required of certified construction reviewers and responsible personnel;

(11)  Construction review; and

(12)  Maintenance requirements for sediment control during construction and stormwater management structures after construction is completed.

(d)(1) The Department may adopt, amend, modify or repeal rules and regulations after public hearing to effectuate the policy and purposes of this chapter. The conduct of all hearings conducted pursuant to this chapter and the promulgation process shall be in accordance with the relevant provisions of Chapter 60 of this title, and all other provisions of Delaware law. Notwithstanding the  foregoing or any other  provision of  Delaware law,  the  Department  and  any other  approval authority  shall, for purposes of  approval,  after  the effective date of this Act, review required applications for land disturbing activities using the guidelines set forth herein until such time that the Department adopts new regulations which become final pursuant to the requirements of this chapter.   The guidelines to be used are as follows:

   a. The Resource Protections Event Volume (RPv) is equal to a runoff volume generated by a 2.7" storm event.   Treatment of a one inch runoff from a RPv event with best management practices (BMPs) as set forth in the April 2016 Post Construction Stormwater Management BMP Standards and Specifications or functional equivalents is required. If additional measures are necessary to manage the remainder of runoff from the RPv to achieve the pre-development runoff rate from the RPv, then additional BMPs shall be utilized to achieve the pre-development runoff rate and shall be considered sufficient for purposes of obtaining plan approval.

   b.  Runoff rates for the 10 year and 100 years storm events shall be managed in accordance with the referenced BMPs, exclusive of volume requirements.

(2)  In lieu of satisfying the guidelines in paragraphs (d)(1)a. and (d)(1)b. of this section, nothing  shall preclude an applicant from utilizing in whole  or in part  the 2016 emergency  regulations  and  guidelines prior to the adoption of the referenced new regulations.

(3) The guidelines cited in (d)(1)a. and (d)(1)b. of this section shall be included in the new  regulations which are to be adopted.

FURTHER AMEND Senate Bill 253 by adding thereto the following:

“Section 4.  Amend §4006(b), Title 7, Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

                § 4006 State management program.

                (b) In carrying out this chapter, the Department shall have the authority to:

      (3) Review the implementation of all components of the statewide sediment and stormwater program that have been delegated to either the conservation districts, counties, municipalities or other state agencies in reviews to be accomplished at least once every 3 years 5 years;

      (10) Establish a maximum life of 3 years 5 years for the validation of approved plans. The regulations shall specify variances which expand this time limitation in specific situation; and”


SYNOPSIS

This Amendment provides additional time for proper and thoughtful corrections to technologically proposed regulations with thorough input from the Regulatory Advisory Committee and industry experts, allows for technologically feasible BMPs to be developed, requires a fair application of the regulations across the State without failure to comply and provides a path for cost effective measures to protect the environment and improves Delaware's waters and the Chesapeake Bay.

AUTHOR: Senator Hocker