For more than 20 years, McCormick Taylor has been an advocate and trusted partner in supporting jurisdictions and clients in their program initiatives to meet aggressive MS4 and TMDL permitting goals.
On October 15, 2019, the Chesapeake Bay Program issued the Final Memo of acceptance for Recommendations on Pollutant Reduction Crediting for Outfall and Gully Stabilization Projects in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. A guidance document—authored by Scott Lowe, Director, Environmental Services; Mike Miller, Manager, Environmental Restoration; and Josh Smalley, PE, Water Resources Engineer of McCormick Taylor’s Baltimore office—laid the groundwork for the memo and influenced the technical rationale behind Protocol 5. The expertise and commitment of McCormick Taylor’s environmental and watershed professionals over the last four years were instrumental in the development and ultimate approval of this protocol.
Protocol 5 helps MS4 programs prioritize outfall sites that are experiencing severe erosion for restoration. The protocol outlines a crediting method that generates MS4 credit based on the amount of erosion, not the linear feet of channel improved. The impact of this change is far-reaching, yielding higher benefits of water quality improvements to the Chesapeake Bay and other watersheds that adopt the protocol per BMP, while saving taxpayers millions of dollars.
We welcome the opportunity to discuss your MS4 permitting compliance challenges. For more information, contact Scott Lowe, Director, Environmental Services or Craig Carson, Senior Manager, Watershed Services.
MS4 Experience
- GIS analysis and geodatabase management
- Watershed plans and implementation strategies
- Modeling and scenario development
- Crediting strategies
- Portfolio management
- Program implementation and financial management
- Illicit discharge detection and elimination program development
- Watershed design and alternative delivery services
- Asset management and storm drain, outfall and BMP inspection
- TMDL and wasteload compliance
- Public education and outreach
- Ordinance development and adoption support
- Stormwater planning, site selection, design, and construction oversight
- Post-construction stormwater management inventory and inspection
- Report development
- Monitoring
