Public Participation / Involvement

The MPCA General Permit requires municipalities to involve stakeholder groups, including local governments, businesses, and citizens in making decisions about storm water management priorities and programs.

For the purpose of the SWPPP, the UMD "public" is defined as employees, students, and contractors that make up the campus community. An involved community will be more likely to understand the need for, and thus support the success of a storm water program, and so we will encourage involvement in its creation and implementation.

In recognition that we are but a small part of the Lake Superior watershed area, and that we are also part of the larger Duluth/Superior area, we have also initiated and are working with the surrounding MS4's to promote storm water education and to address shared storm water problems.

Best Management Practices - New practices will be added as they are completed.

• UMD 202 2003/2004 Storm Water Steering Committee Members
• UMD 202 2004/2005 Storm Water Steering Committee Members

Public Involvement and Participation Best Management Practice Summaries

BMP 201 - Seek Public Input on Program

The UMD Storm Water Steering Committee will seek public input by holding public meetings, beginning with an initial draft review in February 2003. Beginning in 2004, an annual public meeting will be held to review the program and evaluate our progress. The public meeting may be scheduled to coincide with other regional storm water meetings, to take advantage of opportunities for joint publicity efforts.

A Storm Water web site is being developed which will include a response form to submit comments or questions about the program. This web site will be published in March 2003, and will be developed further throughout the five-year program.

BMP 202 - Establish a UMD Storm Water Steering Committee

UMD's Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan will need the oversight and cooperation from many different segments of the campus. Representatives are being sought from stakeholders including Environmental Health and Safety, UMD academic departments, Auxiliary and Facilities Management employees, construction management, student groups and administration. The exact size and structure of the steering committee has yet to be determined.

The steering committee will meet bi-annually, or as needed, and will be responsible for creating sub-committees, as needed or as required by specific BMP's. A representative from the steering committee will chair each sub-committee and report on the sub-committees actions. A representative from the steering committee will represent UMD on the Regional Storm Water Protection Team.

BMP 203 - Participate in the Regional Storm Water Protection Team

The Regional Storm Water Protection Team is comprised of representatives from the Cities of Duluth, Hermantown, Proctor and Cloquet in Minnesota, Duluth Township, St. Louis County, Rice Lake Township, South St. Louis County Soil and Water Conservation District, University of Minnesota Duluth, University of Minnesota Sea Grant, MN Department of Transportation and the City of Superior, Wisconsin.

Representatives from UMD, City of Duluth and University of Minnesota SeaGrant initially met in September 2002 to plan a workshop for regional MS4's. The purpose of the workshop was to share information and identify potential for cooperative efforts. The workshop was held October 29, 2002 at Natural Resources Research Institute and was attended by over thirty participants. The Regional Storm Water Protection Team was formed as a result of this workshop.

An email list has been created at UMD for communication among the participants in the regional team. Sample formats and other helpful information is being shared via this email list.

The team of MS4's has filed joint grant applications to secure funds for a regional educational program related to storm water issues and creation of a Contractor Training and Certification Program. Member communities will cooperatively participate in regional fairs, home shows and other public venue for storm water education.

A representative from the steering committee will represent UMD on the Regional Storm Water Protection Team. Other working groups will be established when funding is secured, and is expected to be in place by fall of 2004.