Periodically, Frederick County’s Office of Sustainability and Environmental Resources (OSER) requests residents to provide input on various plans, assessments, or reports.

Documents for Review:

2021 Financial Assurance Plan (FAP)        Comments

Frederick County Government is covered under National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Permit No. 11-DP-3321, MD0068357 (Permit) and is classified as a medium jurisdiction by the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) due to population. The Maryland Senate Bill 863, "Watershed Protection and Restoration Programs – Revisions” was passed in 2015 and added a requirement to the Annotated Code of Maryland ENV §4-202.1 for all medium and large NPDES MS4 permit holders to prepare a biennial Financial Assurance Plan (FAP). This FAP (Attachment 1) is to demonstrate the financial wherewithal for meeting impervious surface area restoration requirements in National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permits. This submission meets Frederick County Government’s legislative obligation to submit an FAP. The FAP will be issued for a 30-day public review. The County Council, as the “local governing body,” is required to hold a public hearing and vote on approval of the FAP. A certification is to be signed by the County Executive after Council Approval.

The Permit’s effective date was December 30, 2014, expired December 29, 2019, and is administratively extended. The permit’s Impervious Surface Restoration Plan (ISRP) required the restoration of 20% of the County’s untreated urban impervious area within the MS4, an estimated 1,981.03 acres, to the Maximum Extent Practicable. This requirement was met.

For the next two fiscal years (FY2021-FY2022), the total projected fund sources ($18.9 million) exceeds the projected costs ($16.3 million). This is equivalent to 116%, exceeding the 75% funding requirement. The County will have met the legislative requirements of the FAP through this financial commitment, publication of the attached documents, public hearing and vote by the County Council, and Certification by the County Executive. 

The County Council will hold a virtual public hearing and vote on approval of the documents on Tuesday, August 17, 2021, at 4:30 p.m. (or soon thereafter) in the first floor hearing room of Winchester Hall, 12 East Church Street, Frederick.  Individuals will be given an opportunity to be heard at the public hearing.  Public comments will be limited to three (3) minutes per speaker.  Persons requiring special accommodations for the public hearing are requested to contact the Council’s Office at 301-600-1135 (TTY: Use Maryland Relay) to make the necessary arrangements no later than three (3) business days prior to the hearing.

The Council will utilize a web portal which allows the public new ways to participate in Council meetings.  Individuals can watch the live public hearing on Frederick County Government cable channel 19 and channel 1085 in high definition, leave written comments before or during a meeting, or use the toll-free number listed at the site to listen live or leave voice mail messages that will be transcribed and read or may be aired during the public comment portion of Council meetings.  This feature can be found at www.FrederickCountyMD.gov/CouncilMeetings.  The portal also uses built-in translation services so those for whom English is not their native language can leave comments or read responses in more than 100 languages.  

Interested parties may send written comments by mail or submit comments electronically by email to the contact persons listed below.  Please note all comments should include the name, organization, address, and telephone number of the person submitting the comments. We welcome the public’s input into this process and encourage your comments.   

The comment period will be open from July 1, 2021 - July 31, 2021.

Shannon Moore

Frederick County Government

OSER

30 North Market Street, 2^nd Floor

Frederick, MD 21701

(301) 600-1413

smoore@frederickcountymd.gov

 Don Dorsey

Frederick County Government

OSER

30 North Market Street, 2^nd Floor

Frederick, MD 21701

(301) 600-1530

ddorsey1@frederickcountymd.gov 

Frederick County Government does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, or disability in employment or the provision of services.