County seeks comment on stormwater updates

Clark County — Clark County has drafted updates to its stormwater manual and the county code for stormwater and erosion control. The changes are needed to comply with Washington State Department of Ecology’s stormwater requirements.

A public comment period on the draft language has started and will last through May 5.

Public comments will be incorporated into drafts submitted to the Department of Ecology in June. Clark County is required to adopt the code updates by June 2015.

The Clark County Stormwater Manual prescribes how development and redevelopment projects in unincorporated areas must meet stormwater regulations. It is a county-specific document and the drafted changes are intended to meet all of the Department of Ecology’s permit requirements.

“Clark County continues to refine its stormwater rules to comply with state and federal regulations,” said Don Benton, Environmental Services director, in a statement. “This may seem like a cumbersome process, but it’s an important part of what we do to protect our environment from the harmful effects of polluted storm runoff.”

Information related to the updates can be found at http://clark.wa.gov/stormwater.