Update on STEPP and ASTM Committee E64 on Stormwater Control Measures

If performance data is provided to decision makers it often comes from manufacturers. Much of this data is derived from reputable sources such as the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) program, the Washington Department of Ecology Technology Assessment Protocol Ecology (TAPE) program, the International Best Management Practice Database (IBMPDB) or the Canadian Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) website but it is difficult for many decision makers to navigate these sources to confirm the data. NJDEP and Canada ETV both have lab data, but it is presented in different ways and the results do not always agree. TAPE has field data. The IBMPDB contains every kind of data but it is not curated so the quality of the data is not assured. The presentation will provide an update on activities aimed to make assessing performance data easier. It will also describe efforts underway to translate existing region verification programs into a national program, to simplify the job of choosing a stormwater control measure (SCM) A new national source of quality assured information, the Stormwater Testing and Evaluation of Products and Practices (STEPP) program, is leveraging resources from several different organizations in order to improve the way data is produced and reported going forward. STEPP, which was initiated by WEF and now led by the National Municipal Stormwater Alliance (NMSA), will provide stormwater managers with tools for evaluating performance of SCMs and guidance on how to use the tools. The initial focus will be on high priority pollutants of interest such as sediment, trash and plastics, and nutrients, but the vision is to expand the program in the future to include additional pollutants as well as including both proprietary products (manufactured treatment devices, or MTDs) as well as public domain practices, including green infrastructure. The presentation describes the STEPP program, how it is organized and how end users can take advantage of it. 2021 also saw the formation of a new ASTM Committee, E64 Stormwater Control Measures. This is a significant step for the industry, ASTM does not form new committees very often. Prior to this change all stormwater standards were developed by a subcommittee, C27.70 under the committee C27 Precast Concrete. This structure hindered effective standards development and that helped lead to the change. The new Committee has 4 subcommittees that includes Lab Evaluation, Field Evaluation, Apparatus and Research Processes, and Non-point Sources. These subcommittees are currently developing several standards and three new standards have been published so far this year. Additional subcommittees will be added as the committee evolves. This presentation will discuss an overview of the ASTM process and how it is relevant to the stormwater industry. It will also introduce the new standards and describe how the current ASTM work relates to STEPP.