Pennsylvania Handbook of Best Management Practices for Developing Areas

§1. Introduction

§1.1 Purpose and Scope of the Handbook
§1.2 Other Pennsylvania Guidance
§1.3 Suggestions

§1.1 Purpose and Scope of the Handbook

The Pennsylvania Handbook of Best Management Practices for Developing Areas is intended to be a site planning and best management practice (BMP) selection guide for local authorities, planners, contractors, and others involved with planning, designing, reviewing, approving, and building development projects. The handbook targets accelerated soil erosion and sedimentation and management of stormwater runoff, because these are the primary issues covered by local, state, and federal regulations that apply to development projects. Related issues such as water quality protection, watershed management , and wildlife habitat are covered as a secondary consideration to the extent that many of the planning principles and practices that are recommended for erosion control or stormwater management also may provide benefits in these areas.

The handbook is not intended to be a comprehensive site planning and practice design manual because there are many good existing manuals and references. It is an attempt to summarize in one reference the state-of-the-art in site planning and BMP alternatives from the Northeast United States and other areas, and to tailor these tools in Pennsylvania regulatory and environmental conditions.

In most cases, regulations do not require the use of specific BMPs to meet performance standards; the developer/designer is free to decide which BMPs or groups of BMPs will be used. It is our hope that the handbook will help users develop site plans and select practices that not only are effective in controlling erosion and managing stormwater, but that most efficiently use the space available, are aesthetically pleasing, and that preserve or even improve water quality and wildlife habitat.

Besides compliance with local, state, and federal laws and regulations, a well-planned, designed, and built project also can protect or improve water quality and other watershed resources. Some reasons for using BMPs that go beyond compliance with legal requirements are preservation of water quality and wildlife habitat, efficient use of space, and aesthetically pleasing site design.

Requirements for complying with Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or federal regulations are in each BMP description. A brief summary of the scope of relevant Pennsylvania laws and regulations is in the Appendix A, Federal, State, and Local Regulations. In addition to providing information about relevant regulations, the description of each BMP also contains useful guidelines for design that are not prescribed by law. The "performance-based" guidelines are recommendations that are intended to improve the efficiency and reliability of BMPs.

The handbook contains information about resource planning, which describes concepts and procedures for designing BMPs; comprehensive site planning; retrofitting BMPs; and using the watershed approach as a tool for effectively implementing BMPs. Also, the handbook describes the maintenance requirements for BMPs.

The appendices contain resource materials covering a variety of useful information for selecting and designing BMPs.

§1.2 Other Pennsylvania Guidance

The handbook has been designed to complement other publications readily available to the handbook’s users. In particular, the following manuals and guides contain essential information about using and designing BMPs and also should be consulted when preparing a development plan:

• Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Environmental Protection. Erosion and Sediment Pollution Control Program Manual. DEP 466. April 1996.
• Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Environmental Protection. Erosion and Sedimentation Control Plan Development Checklists, Standard Worksheets, Details and Notes. A companion to the Pennsylvania Erosion and Sediment Pollution Control Program Manual. January 1996.
• Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Environmental Protection. Summary Report on Urban Stormwater Nonpoint Source Pollution Controls and Practices, prepared by Bureau of Watershed Conservation. 1998.
• Natural Resource Conservation Service. Pennsylvania Soil and Water Conservation Technical Guide. Part G, Section IV, Standards/Specifications. March 1983, revised October 1986.
• Pennsylvania State University. The Agronomy Guide. College of Agricultural Sciences. 1996 or most recent section. or most recent edition.
• Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Transportation. Specifications. Publication 408M. 1996.

Additional references, including specialized technical papers and text books, are cited in Appendix B, References.

§1.3 Suggestions

Comments, suggestions, and ideas that can be incorporated into the future editions of the handbook are welcomed and may be submitted to the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts (PACD). As the field of watershed management continues to evolve, the handbook will change to reflect improvements in our understanding of the design and use of BMPs. The reader can be a valuable resource for introducing the new information to a public that is serious about preserving our environmental resources for future generations.

Send comments or suggestions to:

PACD, 25 North Front Street, Harrisburg, PA 17101 Telephone: (717) 238-PACD (7223) Fax: (717) 238-7201 pacd@pacd.org http://www.pacd.org