After several years of work, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP), Villanova University, and NTM Engineering, Inc. have released for public comment the Pennsylvania Post-Construction Stormwater Management (PCSM) Manual. The PA DEP intends the Manual to be a substantive revision of the existing Pennsylvania Best Management Practices Manual (363-0300-002), which was finalized in 2006.
NTM and Villanova teamed to write the manual, which includes new approaches to the analysis of stormwater and formalizes several innovative solutions to stormwater management. Other revisions include but are not limited to a proposed hierarchy of stormwater management objectives, proposed criteria for the protection of wetlands, new best management practices (BMPs), and much more.
NTM provided technical consultation on policy, regulations, law, and standard engineering practice. NTM also wrote all the guidance for stormwater control measures (SCMs), rainfall analysis (including how to address global climate change), stormwater management for Karst geography, control of thermal pollution, and more. NTM developed a method for formalizing the stormwater benefit of preserving and enhancing open space and formalized two SCMs.
NTM and Villanova are preparing training for the new manual. Technical guidance documents are available on the Department of Environmental Protection’s (Department) web site at www.depgreenport.state.pa.us/elibrary/. Commentators are encouraged to submit comments using the Department’s online eComment tool at www.ahs.dep.pa.gov/eComment.