The City of Fredericksburg has a set of management processes and procedures known as Environmental Management System (EMS) allowing the City to analyze, control and reduce environmental impacts of its activities. These activities include: Household Hazardous Waste Disposal Days in cooperation with Stafford County, bulk item pickup, and weekly street sweeping within the City's limits.
Introduction
This Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) operated by the City of Fredericksburg was approved for coverage under the Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (VPDES) on December 9, 2002 (General Permit No. VAR040058). This Permit requires The City of Fredericksburg to develop and implement a Stormwater Management (SWM) Program designed to reduce the discharge of pollutants to the Maximum Extent Practicable (MEP), to protect water quality, and to satisfy the appropriate water quality requirements of the Clean Water Act and the State Water Control Law.
Fredericksburg’s Stormwater Management is in the form of six minimum control measures know as Best Management Practices (BMP’s) as required by the VPDES general permit for Stormwater Discharges from Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems.
The Current BMP's are as follow:
- Public Education and Outreach
- Public Participation and Involvement
- Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination
- Construction Site Runoff Control
- Post-Construction Runoff Control
- Pollution Prevention and Good Housekeeping
The City of Fredericksburg is currently developing Illicit Discharge Ordinances and Actions to address potential environmental violations associated with stormwater management. Investigation methods are based on Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VDEQ) guidelines. VDEQ's Resource Guide for the Investigation and Environmental Crimes is available online and provides information on the investigation of environmental crimes. The following provides a brief synopsis of The City's actions currently underway:
- Currently training City shop employees to recognize spill, illicit discharge, and dumping.
- Developing a storm sewer network map to identify receiving waterways and outfalls.
The City of Fredericksburg has developed a specific ordinance related to post-construction development. Refer to Chapters 38 and 78 of the City of Fredericksburg Code of Ordinances to view these specific ordinance.
Specific ordinances have been developed by the City of Fredericksburg to guide the public and local businesses through proper construction procedures to ensure minimal erosion and sedimentation of local waterways.
Refer to the City of Fredericksburg Code of Ordinances, Articles V and VI for complete details.
The
City of Fredericksburg has implemented a Public Outreach program through
partnerships and distributing media materials such as brochures and flyers.
The City's partnership with
Friends of the Rappahannock has resulted in long- and short-term
projects to educate the community on resource conservation, watershed
protection and river stewardship. The coordination between The City of
Fredericksburg
and
Virginia Outdoors
Foundation has protected 4,200 acres of land along the
Rappahannock and Rapidan Rivers.
The City of Fredericksburg addresses water quality issues at periodic Wetland Board meetings. These meetings are open to the public for input on local resource issues and future development. The City of Fredericksburg in partnership with the Friends of the Rappahannock are actively hosting events such as "Fintastically Fredericksburg" and the Spring and Fall River Clean Ups. These events promote public participation in watershed conservation, protection, and management. The City is developing a set of trails and routes to facilitate public awareness on safety, environmental education, waterway awareness, and trail etiquette. The City's recycling program provides detailed guidance to its residents and local businesses on recycling. In addition, the Rappahannock Gold project is combining silt and organic matter recovered from behind the Embrey Dam to make high-quality topsoil available to the public.
