Allegheny Township to push for state, federal consensus on stormwater

Allegheny Township officials want the state and federal governments to decide what agency should be contacted about problems with stormwater.

The idea, they say, is to give local officials a central resource to tap for a quick resolution when dealing with drainage problems and issues that often create flooding.

The idea came up because of problems in the township.

Supervisors Chairman Kathy Starr asked about cleaning a storm drainage “course” — basically a small creek between Moreland Manor and Steele Drive that runs under a bridge on Route 356 and down through the Dairy Queen property.

Township Manager Gregg Primm said the township’s public works department cleaned it last year to the extent they are permitted by federal regulations.

“By law, our guys are only allowed to go in 50 feet from either end (of the pipe),” Primm said.

Now the drainage area is filling up with sediment and debris again and needs to be cleaned, according to Primm.

He said blockages in the pipe have caused flooding in the area during periods of heavy rain.

To fully clean the pipe and the drainage course, Primm said the township would have to apply for a permit through the state Department of Environmental Protection. That involves a lot of paperwork, including environmental and hydraulic studies surveys.

In addition, Primm estimates the cost to the township at about $20,000.

“And there’s no guarantee that we would get the permit, either,” Primm said.

Starr was incredulous at hearing that and asked if there is another way to approach it.

Primm said, in the past, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, a federal agency, used to take care of drainage areas such as the the one along Route 356, cleaning and dredging them periodically.

He said, about 20 years ago, the Corps stopped doing that and no other state or federal agency has taken on that responsibility.

“The question is: should the municipalities even be doing that?” Primm said. “The waterways are not our property. They belong to the state.”

Primm pointed out that most regulations for stormwater appear to come from the federal government but are carried out by DEP.

One example, he said, is the MS4 Program, a pollution control program related to storm drainage, which comes from the federal government.

“At the end of the day, it becomes a federal problem,” Primm said.

Starr suggested enlisting support from other townships throughout the state who have probably faced similar problems. She said that could be done by Allegheny Township authoring a resolution seeking the federal government to give responsibility for storm drainage issues to one agency.

Allegheny Township officials would then put forth the resolution at the April conference of the Pennsylvania Association of Township Supervisors in Hershey. From there, the townships also can lobby the state’s congressional delegation for its support.

Primm said he would get to work on the writing the resolution.

Tom Yerace is a freelance writer.