County commissioners to consider stormwater accord with state

Vancouver, WA – After months of detailed negotiations, Clark County and Washington Department of Ecology staffs have drafted a tentative agreement that could bring the county into full compliance with the state’s stormwater regulations and the county’s Phase I Municipal Stormwater Permit.

The agreement also would support implementation of the county’s updated stormwater ordinances, which were adopted last January.

County commissioners will discuss the proposed agreement during a 10 a.m. Wednesday work session. They may then set a Dec. 15 public hearing to consider testimony and take action on the agreement. Both meetings would take place in the Public Service Center, 1300 Franklin St.

The Department of Ecology already had accepted the county’s stormwater approach and updated ordinances, except on the issue of managing the quantity of runoff during a major storm, an issue commonly referred to as flow control.

The proposed agreement could resolve the March 17 violation notice the state issued to the county regarding flow control.

“There were some tough discussions between the county staff and Ecology,” said Kevin Gray, the county’s environmental services director. “In the end, the county was able to show that we have a system for providing an equivalent amount of flow control, thereby achieving the state’s goals but in a different fashion than was prescribed in the original permit.”

“Despite our different approaches, the county and state always were united around a common goal: protecting the environment through improved stormwater management.”