DEP choses California for storm water study
CALIFORNIA – The state Department of Environmental Protection has chosen California Borough to participate in a five-year study of storm water discharge. According to Engineer Carl Dei Cas of McDonald and Associates, the borough must file a notice of intent with the DEP by March 10, 2003.
Dei Cas told the board Thursday during its continued meeting that California was among the areas chosen in the state because it already has a separate storm water system in place and because it is an urbanized area.
He said through this study, called the MS4 (Municipal Separate Storm Water System) Permit, DEP is regulating storm water discharge.
Borough council, however, was not pleased with being included in the DEP study and asked what would happen if they failed to participate in the five-year study. They seemed reluctant about the cost the borough could incur by trying to comply with the requirements of the study.
“This is a direct draw,” said Councilman Robert Sepesy. “It irritates me because they make these laws and it’s not like we all aren’t dealing with budget constraints.”
Dei Cas said the borough would probably be fined if they did not give the DEP their full cooperation and advised council to meet DEP’s requirements. Dei Cas also said that he did not believe the borough would be granted a waiver if one was requested. He also said there are no grants available to fund this project.
Dei Cas also told the borough they would not be responsible for storm water runoff from California University or any areas owned by the state.
Councilman John Greenlief asked Dei Cas if it made any difference that the borough storm water system doesn’t work properly.
But Dei Cas said that he thinks the main focus of the study is to make sure that storm water discharge does not contain sewage or construction run-off. He said the borough is at an advantage because they have a sewage authority that is familiar with all of the borough “outfalls,” which are required to be mapped out as part of the study.
He also estimated that the cost to the borough to comply with the plan is approximately $2,700.
In other business council approved four separate invoices to outside contractors who assisted the borough with snow removal totaling, $6,345.
Council also amended an agreement of Student Association Inc. (SAI) for Phase II of the Jefferson at California apartments, which Greenlief said will bring $1.5 million to the borough over the next 30 years, with the first payments being minimal.
According to President Arthur Harris, the amendment to the agreement was to amend the dates of the project. He said SAI is waiting for money to be transferred from the state, then they will begin construction.
Council also hired John Gajan, a full-time employee of the street department and also Daniel Fowkes as a part-time worker to replace Gajan, who was a part-time worker in the borough.