image showing residents stenciling storm drains
St. Paul residents becoming involved in stormwater management by stenciling storm drains

Introduction

Protecting stormwater cannot be completed by one person alone, but will be the result of communities engaging their residents, businesses, and industries to become invested in water quality. Minimum Control Measure (MCM) 2 of the MS4 General Permit requires permittees to find methods to motivate their communities into action through opportunities, programs, or other approaches to prevent stormwater pollution. Common examples seen around Minnesota include storm drain stenciling activities, drain adoption programs, and volunteer monitoring programs.

MS4 General Permit requirements for MCM 2

To keep their community members in the loop, permittees must:

  • Provide at least one opportunity for the public to provide input on the stormwater pollution prevention program (SWPPP).
  • Provide access to the public to view the SWPPP document, Annual Reports, and other documentation related to the SWPPP.
  • Consider public input.
  • Document activities, as described here.

Resources

Click on the blue links above in the "MS4 General Permit requirements" section to get more information and resources specific to those permit requirements. In addition, all resources related to MCM 2 are below.

Fact sheets and guidance documents

Fact sheets and guidance documents should provide background information and tips to inform your approach to implementing MCM 2 - Public Participation/Involvement.

  • EPA MCM 2 guidance - EPA's guidance and suggested BMPs for an effective public involvement program
  • EPA's Soak Up the Rain Campaign - Provides template and customizable outreach tools and resources to educate and engage your community on the impacts of stormwater pollution and how to help solve the problem

Documentation and tracking templates

Documentation and tracking templates are examples that local stormwater staff are currently using to meet the MS4 General Permit requirements for MCM 2 - Participation/Involvement.

Public Involvement tools and examples

Below are examples, tools, or other resources to enhance your public participation/involvement program.

Adopt a storm drain programs

Adopt a storm drain programs engage individual residents to proactively prevent pollution, like leaves and litter, from reaching stormwater. The programs generally allow residents to choose a storm drain they will keep clean. Residents are typically given educational materials when they first sign-up that include tips related to topics such as smart salting, leaf and litter management, or how to spot an illicit discharge.

Storm drain stenciling programs

Storm drain stenciling is a way involve groups, such as boy or girl scouts, in your stormwater program while spreading your stormwater message throughout your community. Generally groups identify neighborhoods or specific blocks in your community and spray paint the pavement next to a storm drain with a message about not polluting stormwater.

Community cleanup events

Community clean up events engage individuals and groups. Clean up events can focus on a specific waterbody, like the City of Brooklyn Center's Shingle Creek event, or on overall stormwater protection, such as Tangletown's leaf raking event.