Not quite one year after the appointment of its first MS4 program coordinator, Salisbury Township is being lauded for its work by a state agency.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources reviewed the township MS4 program Sept. 21.

MS4 is an acronym for Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System, with the “M” standing for “Municipal” and the numeral “4” representing the four “S” first letters of each word in Separate Storm Sewer System.

MS4 Storm Water Management Program Protocol requires Minimum Control Measures to enforce the MS4 program, mandated by United States Environmental Protection Agency and enforced by the DEP.

“They [the DEP] were very happy with it [the township MS4 program]. We had a good review,” Sandy Nicolo, Salisbury Township assistant zoning officer, code enforcement officer and MS4 coordinator, reported to township commissioners at the Sept. 22 meeting.

Nicolo thanked the township police department, public works department, environmental advisory council and the township administration for accomplishing most of the MS4 goals.

Commissioners gave Nicolo a round of applause for his efforts.

Commissioners appointed Nicolo as MS4 coordinator Oct. 8, 2015.

The township has 87 Best Management Practice items listed under Minimum Control Measures categories. Most have been completed, according to the “2016 MS4 Report Update” report Nicolo presented to commissioners July 14 and the EAC July 20.

The three-page report lists projects, programs and procedures completed or not completed. The goals are to be completed by the end of 2016.

The DEP review is part of the township’s recertification for its five-year National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit, issued in 2014 and expiring in 2018.

The DEP review was the first since the township started its MS4 program.

Said Director of Public Works John Andreas of the DEP review, “The inspection was very positive. We had some great discussions beyond the review.

“The township takes it [MS4] very seriously. And Sandy’s [Nicolo] work could be modeled for the area,” Andreas said.

Andreas said the DEP went over suggestions for BMPs and “our exposure to future needs. The details are just growing.”

After the township commissioners’ meeting, Nicolo told a reporter for The Press that one future concern for DEP is that “you [the township] have to reduce sediment pollution by 10 percent.”

Nicolo said the township must have a plan to prevent pollution by sediments and phosphorous (fertilizer) from getting into the Little Lehigh Creek, Trout Creek and Black River.

“It’s mandatory. We have to do it,” Nicolo said, adding, “We have to budget for that.”

To prevent sediments getting into waterways, screens might have to be placed over storm sewer inlets.

Nicolo said, “any kind of spill from an accident and the cleanup” must be documented.

“Everybody played a part,” Nicolo said of township departments’ contributions to meeting MS4 categories. “‘They all helped out.”

Municipalities are required to fulfill six MCMs: 1. Public Education, 2. Public Participation, 3. Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination, 4. Construction Site Runoff Control, 5. Post-Construction Stormwater Management, and 6. Pollution Prevention for Municipal Operations and Maintenance.

Nicolo is tasked to address all MCMs, but specifically Numbers 3 through 6.

The township EAC is tasked by township commissioners to implement the first two of the six MCMs.

David J. Tettemer, Salisbury Township Consulting Engineer, Keystone Consulting Engineers, Inc., completed a $25,000 contract for April - September 2015 to get the township MS4 program up and running.

Under the federal Clean Water Act, a municipality must have a NPDES permit for stormwater discharges and must maintain compliance with the permit.

Salisbury provided sufficient information and met conditions of the Administrative Order and Section 308 Requirement for Information of the Clean Water Act issued May 29, 2014, according to an EPA letter received by the township April 14, 2015.

Salisbury Township, along with other Lehigh Valley municipalities, received notice June 25, 2014, of a 30-day deadline to provide the EPA with evidence of MS4 compliance.