County reviews MS4 stormwater obligations and plans green‑infrastructure incentives

Michael Carr, Environmental Compliance Officer, briefed the board on the county’s stormwater management responsibilities under the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit and related county work to promote green stormwater infrastructure (GSI).

Carr said the county’s MS4 compliance focus includes public education and outreach, public involvement, illicit‑discharge detection and elimination, construction erosion control, post‑construction runoff management and pollution prevention. He described ongoing collaborative quarterly coordination with the City of Santa Fe and NMDOT District 5 within the federally designated Santa Fe urbanized area.

The county has published a consolidated stormwater web page and annual MS4 reporting materials, Carr said, and is working on staff training, construction stormwater documentation and maintenance guidance for GSI. He said the county will assess a feasibility study for an incentivization program (rebates or technical assistance) that could expand use of rain gardens, infiltration features and other GSI tools countywide, and noted NMDOT has produced guidance the county is reviewing.

Commissioners asked about feasibility and funding for GSI, the county’s capacity to sample stormwater following storm events, and volunteer or academic partnerships to support sampling and monitoring. Carr said event‑based sampling is technically possible but constrained by laboratory availability and the rapid timeframe for sample collection and processing; the county will continue to explore partnerships and funding for monitoring and incentive programs.