The Coalition for a Sustainable Delta has settled its lawsuit with the city of Stockton, Calif., and San Joaquin County over toxic storm water discharges into Delta waterways.
The 2009 lawsuit, brought under both the Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act, alleged that discharges from the city and county's storm sewer system violated Clean Water Act requirements and degraded water quality to a degree that harmed endangered species in the Delta.
"Settlement of the lawsuit will help to address the significant and growing threat of urban storm water run-off," said Michael Boccadoro, spokesperson for the coalition. "Unless addressed, toxic storm water from urban areas would continue to take a huge toll on the Delta estuary, water quality and endangered and threatened species."
Under the settlement, the city and county are required to:
- Implement an Enhanced Water Quality Monitoring and Investigation Program;
- Upgrade the Illicit Discharge Detection Program, including the capability to ensure 24-hour response;
- Improve training of municipal staff to identify and prevent illicit discharges and other water quality violations and issues;
- Require additional labeling and posting ("No Dumping") on storm drains that flow directly into rivers and streams;
- Establish a GIS database to track the inspection and cleaning of city-owned catch basins;
- Develop a business outreach program targeting restaurants, food service and other high-risk business establishments;
- Incorporate integrated pest management practices to reduce municipal pesticide use and the potential for contamination;
- Develop outreach and education materials to facilitate appropriate boating waste disposal;
- Increase municipal expenditures earmarked for storm water quality activities; and
- Improve pollution prevention at municipal facilities and utilize best management practices and pollution source control measures to reduce contaminants in storm water discharges.
"The settlement puts in place a much improved and comprehensive pollution and toxic discharge monitoring and prevention program ensuring the city and county do all they can to reduce harm to the estuary caused by stormwater discharges. We are hopeful that Stockton and the county of San Joaquin will develop and implement a storm water program that will be a model for other communities that discharge into the sensitive Delta ecosystem" Boccadoro said.
Source: Coalition for a Sustainable Delta
