5.2. ERMUSR 09-08-2015 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Peer Review. The MPCA is required to provide public notice and take public comment when external peer review of water quality standards is convened. Written or oral comments shall be accepted. The names of the peer reviewers must be included in the statement of need and reasonableness for the water quality standard. If an external peer review is not convened on a water quality standard by the MPCA,the statement of need and reasonableness must state the reason why not. By December 15 of each year,the MPCA must post on its website: the water quality standards development work in progress or completed in the year,the lead scientist for each effort, and opportunities for public input. NPDES/SDS Annual Report. The MPCA must provide an annual report on the agency's activities in the previous calendar year to implement standards and requirements on NPDES/SDS permits held by municipalities. The report must be posted on the MPCA website by January 15 each year and include: • A summary of permits issued or reissued, including any changes to effluent limits due to water quality standards adopted or revised during the previous permit • A summary of the innovative approaches used by the agency and municipalities to develop and achieve permit requirements in a cost effective manner • A summary of standard development and water quality rulemaking activities, including economic analyses • A summary of standard development and rulemaking activities anticipated for the next three years, including economic analyses • A process and timeline for municipalities to provide input to the agency • A list of permitting initiatives anticipated in the next year that may impact municipalities and the MPCA's plan for involving municipalities in the process Cost Analysis of Water Quality Standards. The MPCA is directed to contract with a non-state entity to perform a cost analysis of recently adopted and proposed water quality standards and rules. $500,000 is appropriated for the study. The analysis must include a representative sampling of at least 15 cities and provide an estimate of the cost impact to the average residential and commercial connections in the community. The sampling must be diverse based on geography, watersheds,population,wastewater facility types and operators, stormwater system types, and other factors. The analysis must consider: • The estimated capital and maintenance costs of meeting current standards • The estimated capital and operating costs likely incurred to upgrade wastewater and stormwater systems to meet recently adopted,proposed, or anticipated water quality standards • An estimate of the incremental improvement in subsequent water quality (HF 616-Fabian/SF 689-Eken included a variation of this cost analyses) 125