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The Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority has recently launched a study to explore the feasibility of assuming the stormwater management responsibility for the 36 communities it serves.
Authority Solicitor William Finnegan said the assumption of that responsibility by the authority would mean a significant savings for municipalities as they seek to comply with state and federal mandates relating to stormwater management.
State Rep. John T. Yudichak, who, according to Finnegan, spoke at a meeting concerning the proposal on Thursday, said in a press release, “I applaud the Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority’s Board for taking a leadership role and launching the study in hopes of driving a more cost effective and coordinated regional solution to a pressing environmental challenge.”
Yudichak, D-Plymouth Township, said oversight of stormwater mandate compliance by the authority could leverage the authority’s engineering expertise and experience to benefit local communities.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued mandates pertaining to stormwater, which will mean initial deadlines for compliance by municipalities in 2017, with the ultimate goal of reduction in pollutants to the Chesapeake Bay by 2025.
Enforcement of those mandates is the responsible of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
Finnegan said, should the results of the study support the feasibility of stormwater oversight by the authority, the financial benefit to municipalities would be significant.
“For example, if one of the mandates includes street cleaning,” he said. “It would be easier to employ one or two workers for several municipalities than for each municipalities to complete those requirements on their own.”
And although each municipality would be required to pay for the services of the authority in fulfilling the environmental mandates, it would be at a greatly reduced cost.
The study follows a move on the part of Pennsylvania legislature amending its Municipal Authorities Act to permit the authorities to undertake stormwater related function.