Municipalities Organize To Comply With New Runoff Rules

"The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources began enforcing NR 216, a law regulating storm water runoff, in 2004 after prompting from the federal Environmental Protection Agency. First applying only to larger cities, as of Nov. 15, 2006 every Wisconsin city with more than 50,000 residents and their densely populated border communities must work to meet lower pollution standards."

Now many of the state's smaller municipalities are looking for ways to achieve compliance.

"No additional funding accompanied the new regulations, so many municipalities are considering creating a new tax utility to finance storm water runoff controls."

"Karl Green, the community natural resources and economic development agent with the University of Wisconsin extension, has met with leaders of those municipalities. He hopes the communities can share their resources to develop unified ordinances, messages and procedures at a lower cost."