Under new state stormwater regulations, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has identified 30 towns and cities that must increase efforts to reduce untreated stormwater runoff. By 2024, these communities are required to have developers use low-impact development practices for new construction or redevelopment that disturbs one or more acres of land. These towns and cities must now also conduct more stringent water quality testing of stormwater and to work to restore the water quality.
These new requirements are part of revised municipal storm sewer system permits. The new permits include clearer standards and require communities to ramp up existing measures to protect seafood and other aquatic life, and recreational resources from pollutants carried into waterways in stormwater.
More information is available here.
