Clackamas County Selects EBS As 2013 SCAP Vendor

Portland (I-Newswire) October 22, 2013 - EBS selected to service the Storm Drain Cleaning Assistance Program (SCAP) in the Milwaukie, Happy Valley and urban Clackamas County area. 

After receiving proposals from multiple vendors, WES found Environmental Business Solutions to have the best bid for the second year in a row!

SCAP is a voluntary program for businesses and property owners within the Clackamas County Service District (CCSD#1) service area. The annual program begins in October just prior to the rainy season and provides substantial cost savings for local businesses by offering a flat fee per catch basin cleaned. Property owners are responsible for cleaning privately owned storm drains to reduce flooding into city streets creating road hazards and public nuisance. Businesses that sign up for the program pay just $39 per stormdrain realizing a savings of $100 or more.

SCAP uses economics of scale to clean catch basins at a flat fee per catch basin basis. The significantly discounted rate addresses the desire to keep costs reasonable for local customers and still maintain compliance with environmental regulatory agencies. Property owners are responsible for cleaning privately owned storm drains to prevent dirt and debris that carry pollution from entering the public stormwater systems. They must be inspected and maintained annually and then results reported to the District. SCAP fulfills this requirement and increases compliance by offering a cost savings and simplicity of participation.

The intent of this program is to clean participating businesses' catch basins between October 1 and November 30. The actual number of days required to complete cleaning of all participating businesses will depend upon the total number of catch basins to be cleaned and the vendor's daily limit. The $39.00 cleaning shall consist of debris removal from a catch basin. This does not include any line cleaning or repair unless other arrangements are made between the vendor and the property owner. Businesses and property owners that want to participate in the program shall contact WES by September 20, 2013 to participate in this program.

The SCAP program has received praise from the local business community and environmental agencies for their continued commitment to water quality.In 2011, between October and December, 46 customers participated in the program with a total of 162 catch basins cleaned. "Participation doubled in 2012 and we look forward to even greater participation this year" said John Nagy, Manager, Commercial Storm Drain Cleaning Assistance Program. 

Bids from vendors providing storm water cleaning service were solicited by Clackamas County Water Environment Services (WES) on behalf of Clackamas County Service District No. 1 (CCSD#1) earlier this year. After receiving multiple proposals from local vendors, WES followed up on last years selection and awarded the contract to Environmental Business Solutions, Inc (EBS). 
"We are thrilled to be a part of this community program that highlights the importance of regularly scheduled stormwater maintenance to prevent potential flooding requiring expensive emergency service and further protect our water sources,' said Jim Hinkley, Owner EBS Storm Regen.

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About Environmental Business Solutions: EBS specializes in innovative answers and design solutions by applying "Regen" technologies for stormwater and industrial wastewater applications. EBS has built its reputation by successfully exceeding the environmental needs of Private, Federal, State, and Local clients. Dedicated to safety and a standard of excellence. EBS has been a leader in designing systems for resolving, reducing, and/or reclaiming waste by-products
About Clackamas County Service District No. 1 (CCSD #1): collects and cleans more than 3 billion gallons of wastewater annually before releasing it to local rivers. CCSD #1 also annually recycles over 21 million gallons of biosolids from the four wastewater treatment facilities, and monitors over 30 permitted industrial users to test and monitor their discharge.

EPA Proposes A New Rule to Modernize Clean Water Act Reporting.

*EPA estimates a savings of approximately $29 million each year as a result of switching from paper to electronic reporting.

The proposed e-reporting rule would make facility-specific information, such as inspection and enforcement history, pollutant monitoring results, and other data required by permits accessible to the public through EPA’s website. 

Summary Proposal:  EPA is proposing a regulation that would require electronic reporting for current paper-based NPDES reports. This action will save time and resources for permittees, states, tribes, territories, and EPA while improving compliance and providing better protection of the Nation's waters. The proposed Clean Water Act regulation would require permittees and regulators to use existing, available information technology to electronically report information and data related to the NPDES permit program in lieu of filing written reports. The proposal will also allow better allocation and use of limited program resources and enhance transparency and public accountability by providing regulatory agencies and the public with more timely, complete, accurate, and nationally-consistent sets of data about the NPDES program and potential sources of water pollution. The benefits of this proposed rulemaking should allow NPDES-authorized programs in states, tribes, and territories to shift precious resources from data management activities to those more targeted to solving water quality and noncompliance issues. This in turn may contribute to increased compliance, improved water quality, and a level playing field for the regulated community.

Given the large scope of this proposal, EPA commits to offer an additional opportunity for transparency and engagement by publishing a supplemental notice should we receive comments on the proposed rule that require significant changes. States, tribes, territories, permittees, and other stakeholders can review and comment on the supplemental notice. EPA plans to publish the supplemental notice within 180 days after the public comment period for this proposed rule has closed.

Follow the link to see the full proposal

*(Refers collectively to those authorized to administer NPDES in the US) 

Information from the EPA

EPA focusing on industrial stormwater compliance, targeting a serious threat to Puget Sound water quality
08/26/2013

As part of ongoing federal and state efforts to restore Puget Sound, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is announcing enforcement actions against four Seattle-area companies for discharging industrial stormwater in violation of the Clean Water Act.

“By focusing our efforts on industrial stormwater compliance, EPA and the Washington Department of Ecology are tackling one of the top environmental threats to Puget Sound,” said Ed Kowalski, director of EPA’s enforcement program in Seattle. “These focused actions help bring us closer to restoring the health of Puget Sound.”

Follow this link to see the full article in the Seattle Herald
http://www.westseattleherald.com/2013/08/26/news/epa-focusing-industrial-stormwater-compliance-tar