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The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) has partnered with the Statewide Stormwater Coalition to launch a stormwater awareness campaign to help Massachusetts cities and towns comply with new federal stormwater management requirements.
The campaign, called “Think Blue Massachusetts,” will encourage residents near waterways and wetlands to do their part in reducing stormwater runoff. MassDEP provided a grant to bring the campaign to 260 communities in the state. In total, 136 cities and towns in Massachusetts are part of the Statewide Stormwater Coalition and are participating in the campaign.
The new federal requirement for stormwater management, and permits called Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4), require cities and towns to implement stormwater pollution prevention efforts, such as public education activities and outreach.
“When rain or melting snow sweeps trash or chemicals off roads and parking lots, that’s stormwater pollution,” Robin Craver, administrator for the town of Charlton and chair of the Massachusetts Statewide Municipal Stormwater Coalition, said in a statement. “It’s the fastest growing type of water pollution in Massachusetts, and we are coming together to help residents and businesses do their part to control it.”
