The question of certifying stormwater BMP performance has been around as long as BMPs have been on the market. The issue recently arose again in Massachusetts; some developers and local authorities—and manufacturers—are wishing the state had more clear-cut guidelines for what is acceptable and what isn’t.
Because the state doesn’t have clear guidelines, some say, local authorities have a bigger job than they can handle trying to evaluate whether a particular device will work as advertised. In an article in Framingham’s MetroWest Daily News, Tom Ballestero of the Stormwater Center at the University of New Hampshire is quoted as saying the state should set a minimum standard. Currently, Massachusetts doesn’t certify stormwater devices. A state review program began about 10 years ago, but ended when funding was cut.
What do you think—should there be more state oversight, with certain BMPs on an “approved” list once performance has been demonstrated through some sort of third-party testing? Does your state rely on a national or multistate program such as NJCAT or TARP? On the International Stormwater BMP Database? Or should developers and property owners have more latitude to choose BMPs based on the site and the needs of the local watershed?