Fiscal Year 2004 Proposed Budget

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DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DIVISION
ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING AND ADMINISTRATION PROGRAM

PROGRAM MISSION: To protect and enhance the environment by providing policy direction, planning services, technical resources and administrative and organizational support.

The Division consists of two units, Administration and the Environmental Planning Office.

Administration ensures that the Department's direct service providers and other staff receive the leadership, policies, tools, services and support required to serve their customers and/or manage their programs.

Environmental Planning Office (EPO) serves as a technical resource on environmental issues for County agencies, the County Board, and residents, focusing on watershed management, public education and outreach, and sustainable community programs. The office evaluates a variety of environmental compliance issues facing the County, including review of proposed state and federal environmental regulations. Staff provides support for the County's environmentally sensitive "green" development initiative and environmentally preferable purchasing policies and also provides staff support for the Environment and Energy Conservation Commission (E2C2) appointed by the County Board. EPO has lead responsibility for implementation of the County's Watershed Management Plan, compliance with the County's Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit and developing programs and policies to minimize the impacts of development on County streams, the Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay. The major programs within EPO's scope of responsibility are described below.

• MS4 Permit Compliance. EPO manages the storm water monitoring program required by the MS4 permit. A new five-year permit was issued by the Department of Environmental Qualtiy in August 2002. During FY 2003, EPO will be developing a revised stormwater monitoring plan, as required by this permit. The revised monitoring program will include in-stream water quality sampling, as well as dry weather inspections of storm sewers and periodic sampling of outfall discharges during storm events. An important outcome of the dry weather inspections program has been the identification and repair of sanitary sewer cross-connections or broken sewer pipes discharging sewage into County streams.

• Watershed Management Program Implementation

  • Watershed Management Plan. The County Board, as part of the Fiscal Year 2002 budget, approved the initial elements of a multi-year implementation plan based on this watershed management planning initiative. The principal elements approved by the Board included an expansion of the County's street sweeping program and funding of a storm water utility feasibility study, which will be completed during FY 2004. The Board also approved funding for a storm sewer inspection program and a catch basin cleaning program to maintain the County's infrastructure and to protect water quality. The Board also approved funding for a public education and outreach program, including establishment of the County's first volunteer water quality monitoring program. Part of the funding for these initiatives came from the Source Control Fund, established under the County's Chesapeake Bay Preservation Ordinance. During FY 2004, EPO will also provide planning and design services for approved stream restoration projects.

  • Chesapeake Bay Preservation Ordinance. EPO works closely with the Department of Public Works to administer the County's Chesapeake Bay Preservation Ordinance (CBPO). In May 2001, the County Board adopted an amendment to the CBPO developed by EPO that substantially increases the County's ability to protect streams and environmentally sensitive areas. In response to new regulations from the Chesapeake Bay Local Assistance Department (CBLAD) that became effective in March 2002, EPO has developed amendments to the CBPO. The County Board is scheduled to consider the proposed amendments in February 2003.

  • Four Mile Run Environmental Improvements. In October 2000, the U.S. Congress appropriated $1 million to Arlington County and the City of Alexandria "for demonstration of environmental improvements to Four Mile Run." Funding will be used to analyze the hydrology of the watershed, evaluate the capacity of the Four Mile Run flood control project, recommend water quality improvements, identify riparian habitat restoration opportunities, and create a vision for environmentally sustainable development and aesthetic improvements. Completion of the project is expected to take 2-3 years.

  • Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) implementation. EPO has lead responsibility for working with Virginia DEQ, the Northern Virginia Regional Commission, and neighboring jurisdictions to develop and implement the fecal coliform bacteria TMDL implementation plan for the Four Mile Run watershed.

• Sustainability Services. EPO provides ongoing support for a variety of community sustainability initiatives. For example, staff helped prepare the Green Building Incentive program, which grants bonus density in return for achieving a certain building proficiency level under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating program established by the U.S. Green Building Council. While this program focuses on commercial property, EPO is also beginning work on a residential green homes program. Work continuing from FY 2003 includes implementation of an environmental purchasing policy and program and continued outreach and education efforts.

• Public Education/Outreach. EPO plays a lead role in increasing residents' understanding of issues affecting the County's environment through information presented on the DES website, through targeted advertising campaigns, and through presentations to a variety of groups.

SIGNIFICANT BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS:

• Sixty-five percent of all proposed budget expenditures in this program are charged out to the Utilities Fund for work done by this General Fund agency in support of Utilities Fund activities. This charge is reflected as an Intra-County Charge.

• The increase in personnel costs is due to normal step adjustments and new hires at above entry level.

• The decrease in non-personnel costs of $11,856 is primarily attributable to one-time savings for stormwater monitoring.

PERFORMANCE MEASURES:

Objectives: To comply with all of the County's MS4 permit requirements; to ensure compliance of development projects with the County's Chesapeake Bay Preservation Ordinance; to encourage sustainable development practices; and, to establish an effective volunteer stream monitoring program to increase awareness of the importance of the County's streams and riparian areas to the health of the Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay.

• Volunteer monitoring training and sampling, as well as public education and outreach, were new programs begun in FY 2002.

FUTURE BUDGET CONSIDERATIONS:

• There is growing federal and state regulatory emphasis on nonpoint source pollution and urban storm water issues as a result of the Chesapeake 2000 Agreement and the Interim Nutrient Cap Strategy currently being developed in Virginia. As a result, Arlington County may need to allocate additional funding and staff resources for storm water monitoring and treatment, special stream studies, and restoration projects in the future. Staff will be tracking these developing regulatory issues closely in the coming year.

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