Sticks, Carrots Used to Upgrade Puerto Rico's Stormwater Management

The two companies, Palmas Lakes, Inc. and F&R Contractors, agreed to pay fines totaling $100,000.

F&R Contractors failed to obtain permits under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program, and Palmas Lakes, Inc. failed to meet permit requirements.

NPDES is a program under the federal Clean Water Act that regulates stormwater discharges associated with sewer systems, and industrial and construction activities.

NPDES regulations require owners and operators of construction sites larger than one acre to obtain permits and to develop and implement stormwater pollution prevention plans, including best management practices to minimize the amount of pollutants reaching waterways.

"Improper management of stormwater can have serious environmental consequences for our harbors, rivers, lakes and streams," said EPA Acting Regional Administrator George Pavlou. "EPA remains vigilant in holding accountable those who refuse to comply with federal laws."

Sediment runoff rates from construction sites are typically 10 to 20 times greater than those from agricultural lands, and 1,000 to 2,000 times greater than those of forest lands. Sediment discharges from construction sites can cause physical and biological harm to waterways.

Hatillo, Puerto Rico during Mask Festival. December 2006. (Photo by Oscar Rohena)

Just last week, EPA fined six municipalities Across Puerto Rico for improper stormwater management.

The municipalities of Cayey, Hatillo, Las Piedras, Loiza, Rio Grande and Toa Alta in Puerto Rico were each fined between $47,400 and $49,600 for at a total amount of $291,177 in fines.

The municipalities were penalized for failing to comply with federal Clean Water Act requirements related to stormwater management for small municipal sewer systems.

"In order to prevent harmful discharges from their sewer systems, EPA is forcing these six municipalities to comply with federal clean water laws," said EPA Acting Regional Administrator George Pavlou. "Discharges from small municipal sewer systems can contaminate drinking water and recreational waterways, impairing these valuable resources."

EPA ordered the municipalities to comply with stormwater requirements for sewer systems earlier this year after they were unable to provide evidence to EPA of compliance following a request 2007.

Now for the carrot. U.S. EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson announced July 14 that Puerto Rico would receive nearly $72 million in stimulus funding to help finance overdue improvements to wastewater and drinking water systems and conduct water quality planning.

"These funds will be used for the construction and modernization of five wastewater treatment plants in the center of the Island that are ready to go," said Governor of Puerto Rico Luis Fortuno.

EPA awarded $51.6 million to the Puerto Rico Department of Environmental Quality, which will provide money to municipal governments and wastewater utilities for projects to protect lakes, ponds and streams in communities across the commonwealth.

The grant will go to the commonwealth’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund program, which provides low-interest loans for water quality protection projects for wastewater treatment, non-point source pollution control, and watershed and estuary management.

EPA awarded $19.5 million to the Puerto Rico Department of Health to go into the commonwealth’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund program, which provides low-interest loans for drinking water systems to finance infrastructure improvements.

Finally, the EPA awarded $526,300 for the Commonwealth’s Water Quality Management Planning grant program. WQMP grants support activities such as setting standards, monitoring the quality of the water, developing plans to restore polluted waters, and identifying ways to protect healthy waters from becoming polluted.

At least 20 percent of the funds provided under the Recovery Act are to be used for green infrastructure, water and energy efficiency improvements and other environmentally innovative projects.

Jackson said, "These are investments in our core mission of protecting people's health and the environment. The jobs they create will also strengthen the local economy and build a new foundation for economic prosperity."

Copyright Environment News Service, ENS, 2009. All rights reserved.