EPA would like to announce its plans to open a public input period and
hold listening sessions to inform a rulemaking to strengthen national
stormwater regulations by establishing a program to reduce stormwater
discharges from new development and redevelopment and making other
regulatory improvements.

Stormwater discharges from developed sites can negatively impact water
quality through increases in stormwater volume and increased pollutant
loads to the receiving waters. Because stormwater discharges from the
built environment are a principal contributor to water quality
impairments nationwide, EPA signed an FR Notice in October 2009
announcing its plans to propose and take final action by November 2012
on a national stormwater rulemaking. EPA also proposed an information
collection request (ICR) to inform the rulemaking.

In order to support the rule, EPA is issuing a second FR Notice this
week which requests input from the public on preliminary
considerations for modifying and/or supplementing EPA???s stormwater
regulations. In addition, the notice provides the opportunity for the
public to voluntarily provide information on current stormwater
control practices that retain stormwater on-site including design,
performance, operation and maintenance, cost, and benefit information.
The FR Notice and information about the listening sessions are posted
to the following website (www.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater/rulemaking).
Registration information is available on the website.

The locations and dates for the five listening sessions are:

-January 19, 2010, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at EPA Region 5 Office, 77
W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL 60604
-January 20, 2010, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at EPA Region 9 Office, 75
Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, CA 94105
-January 25, 2010, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at EPA Region 8 Office,
1595 Wynkoop Street, Denver, CO 80202-1129
-January 26, 2010, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at EPA Region 6 Office,
1445 Ross Avenue, Suite 1200 Dallas, Texas 75202
-January 28, 2010, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at EPA HQ Office, Ariel
Rios Building, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20004

We look forward to receiving your comments on the proposed regulatory
considerations. If you have questions about the Notice and/or the
rulemaking, please contact Holly Galavotti.

Holly Galavotti
Storm Water Team
U.S. EPA, Water Permits Division
Mail Code: 4203M
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20460-0001
(202) 564-1489
galavotti.ho...@epa.gov