PRINTER'S NO. 1556
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
284
Session of
2017
INTRODUCED BY MOUL, KEEFER AND SANKEY, APRIL 25, 2017
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, APRIL 25, 2017
A RESOLUTION
Urging the Congress of the United States to repeal the
Environmental Protection Agency's MS4 program.
WHEREAS, In 1990, the United States Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) began requiring urban areas with populations of
100,000 or more to obtain National Pollution Discharge
Elimination System (NPDES) permits for storm water runoff as
part of the Phase I Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4)
regulations; and
WHEREAS, In 1999, EPA issued Phase II of the MS4 regulations,
requiring small urbanized areas to obtain NPDES permits for
storm water discharges; and
WHEREAS, With more than 7,000 MS4s nationwide, the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is home to two Phase I and 953
Phase II MS4s in boroughs, cities, towns and townships; and
WHEREAS, NPDES permits for MS4s require permittees to develop
and implement storm water controls to minimize the discharge of
runoff from the rainwater sewer systems; and
WHEREAS, MS4s are designated in urbanized areas as determined
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
by the latest Federal decennial census and, accordingly, as
communities of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania grow they are
included in MS4 permitting requirements; and
WHEREAS, Controlling storm water runoff to comply with the
MS4 regulations has become a financial burden on many
communities of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; and
WHEREAS, The cost of compliance with the MS4 program has been
estimated to cost Commonwealth of Pennsylvania taxpayers several
billion dollars; and
WHEREAS, This unfunded mandate has already added additional
costs and increased taxes on residents and businesses and
restricted growth in our neighborhoods; and
WHEREAS, The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Storm Water
Management Act, Act 167 of 1978, and 25 Pa. Code Chapter 102,
Erosion and Sediment Control, adequately address storm water
within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania urge the Congress of the United
States to repeal the EPA's MS4 program; and be it further
RESOLVED, That certified copies of this resolution be
transmitted by the Executive Clerk to the President of the
United States, the President pro tempore of the United States
Senate and the Speaker of the United States House of
Representatives; and be it further
RESOLVED, That certified copies of this resolution be
transmitted to the Administrator of the United States
Environmental Protection Agency.
20170HR0284PN1556 - 2 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27