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Cass County adopts illicit-discharge ordinance to meet MS4 permit requirements
Summary
The Cass County Commission adopted Ordinance 26-07 to create a local illicit-discharge detection and elimination chapter to satisfy requirements of the Missouri MS4 stormwater permit; the vote was unanimous. County staff said the county will submit its MS4 renewal application by Sept. 1 after earlier delays.
The Cass County Commission on July 29 adopted Ordinance 26-07, enacting a new Chapter 411 to make illicit discharges into county stormwater conveyances explicitly illegal and provide an enforcement mechanism. Chair presided over the motion and the measure passed by voice vote with two commissioners voting in favor and none opposed.
Christina Lubert, a civil engineering professional presenting the county's MS4 renewal work, told commissioners the draft ordinance aligns the county with permit requirements and provides a way to pursue enforcement when someone is found dumping waste into storm sewers or county-owned road ditches. "It basically is just saying it's illegal to put anything other than stormwater into stormwater conveyances," Lubert said. The ordinance text was reviewed by county legal counsel and submitted to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) as part of the permit package.
The commission recorded the motion and vote for the ordinance under agenda item Ordinance 26-07; the clerk recorded two votes in favor and zero against. The commission also opened the formal 30-day public comment period tied to the MS4 renewal process; written comments will be accepted following the meeting.
The ordinance adoption is tied to the county's broader MS4 compliance work, which Lubert said includes mapping outfalls, establishing an illicit-discharge detection and elimination program, and conducting required annual facility inspections and staff training. The county said it will finalize and submit its renewal application to DNR by Sept. 1.
