Oct. 5 Webinar: Updating Florida Stormwater Rules
An MRC Lunch & Learn Webinar
October 5, 2021
12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Watch our October Lunch & Learn Webinar with Virginia Barker, Director of the Brevard County Natural Resources Management Department, who reviews the Stormwater Technical Advisory Committee’s work on updating Florida’s stormwater rules. See below for video from this event.
In 2020, the Florida Legislature passed Senate Bill 712, also known as the Clean Waterways Act. This legislation passed with unanimous, bipartisan support to minimize known sources of nutrient pollution and strengthen regulatory requirements. Stormwater-related pollution represents one of the largest potential contributors of nutrients throughout the state. The Clean Waterways Act directed the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and Florida’s water management districts (WMDs) to update stormwater design and operation regulations under Part IV, Chapter 373, Florida Statutes (F.S.), using the latest scientific information.
The goal of the Stormwater Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) is to develop and provide consensus stormwater rulemaking recommendations for DEP and WMDs through public discussion and constructive deliberation. The initial charge questions for the TAC, are as follows:
- What are the options for identifying stormwater design criteria and best management practices effective in increasing the removal of nutrients from stormwater discharges in the state?
- What measures are recommended for consistent application of the net improvement performance standard to ensure significant reductions of any pollutant loadings to a waterbody thought to be impaired by stormwater discharges?
- What changes are recommended for improving existing stormwater operation regulations to ensure water resources are protected under the rulemaking directed under the Clean Waterways Act?
The seminar will end with a live Q&A session, but we also recommend that participants email any questions that relate to this topic to the MRC’s Nicole Broquet at nicole@mrcirl.org by October 1.
This is a free event, but you must register to receive the zoom link or to reserve your spot at the Lagoon House as space is limited (subject to cancellation). We will be live streaming it through the MRC’s Facebook page and will be recording the presentation for future viewing!
About Our Presenter
Virginia Barker completed undergraduate degrees in Science and Math at Duke University and returned to Duke after 5 years of professional work to pursue a Masters in Coastal Environmental Management. Her thesis was in Resource Economics. She has worked in Sri Lanka for US AID, as a research diver for the Florida Department of Natural Resources, and in marine and environmental management positions for Monroe County and Brevard County.
Ms. Barker currently serves as the Director of Brevard County’s Natural Resources Management Department. During nearly 25 years with the County, she has been responsible for beach management, the stormwater utility program, mosquito control, Indian River Lagoon efforts and numerous other environmental initiatives and programs.
In 2016, Virginia spearheaded development of the science-based Save Our Indian River Lagoon Project Plan and establishment of a Citizen Oversight Committee. The Project Plan and Oversight Committee guide how a new ½ cent sales tax that was approved by Brevard voters will fund nearly $500 million of pollution elimination efforts to restore healthy conditions to the Indian River Lagoon. Implementation of the 10-year Save Our Indian River Lagoon Project Plan began in 2017.
MRC’s Lunch & Learn Webinar series is a long-standing and cherished social offered to the East Central Florida coast region, and is supported by volunteers and the community’s charitable giving. If interested and able, we ask participants to donate toward our guest speaker series. All donations are tax-deductible. For more information on the Marine Resources Council, please visit SaveTheIRL.org.