Committee backs amendment easing 3‑acre stormwater rules for agricultural fairs and expands municipal stormwater utility support

Senator Wendy Harrison, a member of the Senate, laid out an amendment on May 1 that would alter how the state treats stormwater obligations for agricultural fairs and expand municipal access to technical and financing assistance for forming stormwater utilities.

Harrison said the amendment contains three parts. On the agricultural fairs piece she offered a definition: “An agricultural fair is an event or activity that is intended to promote farming by exhibiting a variety of livestock and agricultural products, exhibiting arts equipment, and implements related to farming or conducting contests, displays, demonstrations, designs to advance farming, advance the local food economy or train our HPA farmers use for the public's regarding agriculture.” The draft would add an exception so that, once a registered agricultural fair has met the on-site performance obligations in the stormwater manual, it would not be…