John Brock

M.S. Candidate in Urban Environmental Systems Management

UESM-660A-01 Demo Professional Competence

Spring 2015

Alec Appelbaum

Jaime Stein

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NYClean

For: New Yorkers

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NYClean

“Driven By The City // Bound By The Sea” -NYsea Collective

Image: John Brock, 2015

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1. Introduction……………………………..1

2. Background……………………………...3

3. Achieving Permit Requirements……….12

4. Program Framework…………………...23

5. Next Steps & Recommendations………40

6. Conclusion………………………………42

7. Sources…………………………………..43

8. Appendix………………………………..46

Contents

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As residents of New York City we are fortunate to have a direct connection to the

waterfront. New York’s 520 miles of coastline1 offer multiple opportunities for

communities to actively engage and embrace the surrounding waterbodies that outline

our city. In 2014 alone, over 18 million New Yorkers visited beaches throughout New

York City2, taking advantage of waterfront amenities. However, our connection with the

waterfront goes beyond simply using it. The condition of our waterbodies and coastlines

are a direct reflection of our land-based actions. NYClean attempts to make this

connection evident and protect the waterbodies of New York City.

A simple analysis of our city’s coastline will reveal a significant amount of trash and

debris which is the direct result of littering and illegal dumping, which primarily occurs

on land. Street level litter and debris often become water-borne after significant rain

events as it is conveyed from land to water through our city’s storm sewer system.

Once discharged into surrounding waterbodies, litter and debris significantly degrade

water quality and diminish the aesthetic value of our coastline, disconnecting New York

City residents from the waterfront.

This water-borne litter has become a recognized pollutant of concern for New York City

waterbodies and is most commonly referred to as a “floatable". NYC Department of

Environmental Protection currently monitors the conditions of floatables within the NYC

harbor as a way to gain insight on the effectiveness of existing floatables control

efforts. As part of the city’s pending Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4)

permit, the city will be required to develop a more robust floatables and settleable trash

and debris management program. This program will be aimed at evaluating the city’s

current floatables best management practices, as well as identifying strategies and

technologies that would reduce the amount of floatables that end up in the city’s

waterbodies.

As the city moves forward with the development of a floatables reduction program, it is

important to identify best management practices that aim to reduce floatables and

perform in the most effective, efficient and economical way. An effective floatables

reduction program will require a systems-thinking approach throughout the framework

development phase, as well as the inclusion of proper monitoring and evaluation

mechanisms throughout the entirety of the program that aim to track progress and

measure success.

But what does such a program actually look like and how do we ensure its

success?

1. Introduction:

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NYClean represent a comprehensive program framework that aims to fulfill MS4 permit

requirements through the integrated use of structural and institutional best management

practices that reduce the amount of floatables entering our city’s waterbodies, as well as

educate New York City residence on the connection between street level litter and water

pollution. The ultimate goal of NYClean is to improve water quality and reconnect

residence with the waterfront.

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Dropped Drained Discharged Directed

4-D Model Approach

2.1 What Are Floatables?

As previously stated, floatables are trash or debris that are often generated on land, but

become water-borne. Floatables are typically the result of significant rain events

washing litter off streets and into our storm sewer systems, at which point it is

transported and ultimately discharged into surrounding waterbodies.3

2.1.1 How Do Floatables Come to Be?

While there are many ways that floatables come to be, NYClean focuses on floatables

that are the direct result of littering. In order to understand the means by which litter

becomes a floatable it is important to look at it from a process point of view. One can

identify four critical phases that occurs within the lifecycle of a floatable; the drop, the

drain, the direct, and the discharge. Although it may seem basic, these phases

represent moments of intervention where different types of best management practices

can be implemented. For the purposes of NYClean, these four key phases are referred

to as the “4-D Model” and will play an important role in program development.

As we look at the 4-D Model Approach, the initial phase is the drop. The “Dropped”

phase represents the moment at which garbage becomes litter. This may occur as a

result of a lack of resources in a particular area, the use of ineffective best

management practices that don’t meet the needs of that area, or simply the carless

disposal of an item of garbage. The drop phase should be a primary focus for any

floatables reduction program and should target the sources of floatables before they

have a chance to enter the system.

2. Background:

Graphic: John Brock, 2015

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The second phase of the 4-D Model Approach is the drain. The “Drained” phase

represents the moment at which litter enters our storm sewer system. Floatables can

enter a storm sewer system due to improper or inadequate use of inlet best

management practices, lack of maintenance, or illegal dumping. For this phase, an

understanding of how land is connected to our waterbodies is important in order to

properly reduce floatables. In many cases residents simply do not know that many of

our city’s sewers drain directly to surrounding waterbodies. Achieving this

understanding should be a primary goal of NYClean, as well as play an active role in

keeping streets cleaner, thus reducing floatables.

Next, the “Directed” phase comes once inlet devices are bypassed and litter is well

within our storm sewer systems. The sewer system acts as a conveyance mechanism

transporting trash and debris from land to water. Once in the system trash and debris

can cause significant structural damage, as well create maintenance issues. This phase

probably offers the least opportunity for intervention and should be considered in

program development, but not the focus.

The final phase is the “Discharged” phase. This phase represents the birth of a

floatable, as street litter and debris become water-born after bypassing all previous

mechanisms and traveling through our storm sewer systems. It is at this point that we

begin to see significant environmental impacts in the form of degraded water quality

and habitat destruction, as well as social impacts, as our shorelines become

aesthetically unpleasing and in some cases unusable. While our program should aim to

prevent this phase by attacking trash and litter at the source, there is still significant

opportunity for intervention at this time to remove floatables from waterbodies.

The 4-D Model Approach allows us to understand the life of a floatable and how street

level litter becomes water-borne. With proper analysis and ownership taken at each one

of the four phases, we can properly select best management practices to incorporate

into our floatables reduction program.

2.2 New York City’s Sewer System – What is an MS4?

New York City’s sewer system also plays a crucial role in how litter is discharged into

surrounding waterbodies. The makeup of our sewer system can be broken down as

approximately 60% combined and 40% separate, which is relatively common for old,

large municipalities.4 For the purposes of floatables management and NYClean,

separately sewered areas are the focus. However, program design should allow for

replication and floatables reduction on a city-wide scale.

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But what is a combined sewer versus a separate sewer?

In combined sewered areas sanitary sewage and stormwater are accounted for in one

system. Sanitary sewage refers to wastewater that essentially comes from bathrooms

and kitchens while stormwater primarily consists of rainfall that washes into street level

storm drains.4 In a combined system sewage pipes are connected to one of the

fourteen waste water treatment plants located within New York City, where it is treated

at the tertiary level to reach water quality standards before being discharged into

surrounding waterbodies.5

Unlike in combined systems, separately sewered areas solely account for stormwater.

Due to the absence of sanitary sewage, separately sewered systems do not connect to

a wastewater treatment plant and ultimately discharge directly into New York City

waterbodies.4 Since separately sewered areas essentially discharge into waterbodies

directly and lack the line of defense that waste water treatment plants provide,

floatables are often most prominent in waterbodies that act as end of pipe discharge

locations for MS4 areas, often making them the primary sources of floatables.

With many water quality issues stemming from the override of combined systems during

heavy rainstorm events, there has been an emphasis placed on looking at ways to

improve combined systems over recent years in New York City. However with the newly

pending MS4 permit, some of that focus is now being placed on separate sewer areas,

with hopes of better managing stormwater and pollutants in order to improve overall

water quality.

60% COMBINED

40%Separate

(MS4)

MS4 = Municipal Separate Storm Sewer

Map: NYC DEP

Graphic: John Brock, 2015

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2.3 Client – Mission, Ownership & Capacity to Act

With New York City’s sewer system playing such an important role in how floatables

come to be, it was important to select a client who is already plugged in and actively

involved in its management. The New York City Department of Environmental

Protection (DEP) is responsible for managing our city’s sewer system and wastewater,

as well as providing over 1 billion gallons of drinking water each day to the 9 million

residents of New York City. With the mission of “protecting public health and the

environment by supplying clean drinking water, collecting and treating wastewater, and

reducing air, noise, and hazardous materials pollution,” 6 NYC DEP was an ideal client

to work with on the develop of NYClean. Due to their role and responsibilities as a city

agency, NYC DEP has been actively involved in the development of the city’s’ pending

MS4 permit.

Over the past year I have had the opportunity to be a planning intern within NYC DEP’s

Bureau of Environmental Planning and Analysis. For my first project as an intern I was

given the task of researching what other municipalities across the country were doing to

reduce floatables in their respected cities and to identify potential strategies applicable

to New York City. It became evident to me that New York City lacked robust floatables

reduction strategies compared to other cities. However, it was also evident that there

were tremendous opportunities to build on existing programs and to use the pending

MS4 permit as a form of leverage for creating the comprehensive citywide program that

has become NYClean. Although NYC DEP has taken on a leadership role throughout

the MS4 permitting process, it is important to stress that due to a certain capacity to act

in terms of economic limitation, time constraints and resources, a citywide effort is

Mission:

The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) protects public health and the environment by supplying clean drinking water, collecting and treating wastewater, and reducing air, noise, and hazardous materials pollution.

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necessary and that interagency collaboration is critical for the reduction of floatables

and the overall success of NYClean.

2.4 Why Care?

There are a number of reasons why we should care about floatables. Although

floatables may not pose any immediate threats to human health, their damaging effects

on marine environments make them a primary pollutant of concern that needs to be

addressed when considering the long-term preservation of our waterbodies. While floatables create a number of environmental issues, such as the degradation of

ecosystems and impairment of water quality, they also impact the socioeconomic

status of waterbodies by hindering opportunities for marine activities and decreasing

the value of the waterfront as an amenity.7

Once discharged into a waterbody, a floatable may remain there for a significant

amount of time before naturally decomposing. Some of the most common floatables

such as cigarette butts, styrofoam cups and plastic bottles can take up to 5, 50, or 450

years, respectively, to naturally decompose in a marine environment and therefore pose significant threats to marine animals, ecosystems, and overall water quality.

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Graphic: John Brock, 2015

Graphic: NOAA

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A common impact of floatables on marine environments is the possibility of

entanglement and ingestion by marine vertebrates. Entanglement of larger marine

vertebrates is extremely common among whales, seals, dolphins, turtles, and seabirds.

According to NOAA’s 2014 Marine Debris Program Report, at least 115 different marine

species are impacted by entanglement in the United States alone, often resulting in harm or death.

8 Along with the issue of entanglement comes the concern of ingestion.

Marine animals often mistake floatables for food, which can be dangerous to their

overall health. The ingestion of floatables by marine animals can result in severe internal

damage, intestinal blockage, and starvation. Floatables have the potential to affect the

overall quality of life of marine animals, as well as the overall productivity of ecosystems

on which we so desperately depend on. 7

Aside from the environmental issues that surround floatables, there are also

socioeconomic issues that arise from their presence along our coastlines. In many

cases the value we place on our coastlines is dependent on their potential for use as

an amenity. It is no secret that clean coastlines offer more opportunity for recreational

use and engagement by communities. According to a survey completed in Cape Town,

South Africa, cleanliness is considered the most important attribute for a beach. This

was further supported by 44% of Cape Town residents claiming that they would travel

50 km (31 miles) or more to visit a clean beach, when the average travel distance for

residents was only 14 km (8 miles), which demonstrates that residents place a higher

value on cleaner coastlines.9

A floatables reduction program such as NYClean would certainly aim to address these

issues. However, while factors such as improving overall water quality, preserving

marine ecosystems, and providing cleaner coastlines for the public to engage are

definitely the desirable end goals for NYClean, they are not the primary driver behind

the need for such a program.

So, what is the driving factor behind NYClean?

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYDEC) recently

imposed a consent order on the City of New York. This required New York City to

develop a state pollutant discharge elimination system (SPEDES) permit that manages

stormwater discharges throughout the separately sewered areas of New York City. As a

response, the City of New York has begun working with NYDEC in order to develop a

SPEDES permit that aims to “eliminate the pollution of New York waters and to maintain

the highest quality of water possible consistent with public health, public engagement of

the resource, protection and propagation of fish and wildlife and industrial development

in the state.” 10

This permit is referred to as the MS4 Permit and requires the control of

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floatables and settleable trash and debris, along with a number of other pollutants of

concern associated with stormwater discharge.

So, what is the MS4 Permit?

“The MS4 permit authorizes stormwater discharge from large MS4’s currently existing

within the jurisdictional boundaries of the City of New York, and limited to those outfalls

owned or operated by New York City, provided all of the eligibility provisions are met.”11

But what does this actually mean?

The three primary functions of the MS4 permit are to Authorize, Regulate, and Monitor

stormwater discharges with the ultimate goal of improving water quality throughout New

York City.

The MS4 permit Authorizes, Regulates, and Monitors storm water discharge from:11

• NYC owned storm sewers that discharge to MS4 outfalls owned by NYC,

• High level storm sewers, and

• Bluebelts that ultimately discharge to MS4 outfalls owned by NYC

These functions are carried out through two primary mechanisms and a set of minimum

controls that aim to address the various sources of pollutants, as well as their means of

entry into the MS4 area.

Graphic: John Brock, 2015

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One mechanism is the legal authority to enforce. As a permit requirement, New York

City must develop and establish the legal authority to enforce implemented stormwater

management programs to ensure compliance. This mechanism gives the city the right

to punish violators and adequately control pollutant discharges.11

The second mechanism is the development of a Stormwater Management Program

Plan (SWMP). The SWMP requires an integrated planning approach for reducing the

amount of pollutants discharged into MS4 waterbodies. The SWMP consists of a

number of different components, such as:11

• Public Education & Outreach

• Public Involvement/Participation

• Illicit Discharges Detection & Elimination and Mapping

• Construction Sites Stormwater Runoff Control

• Post Construction Stormwater Management

• Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping for Municipal Operations

• Industrial Stormwater Sources

• Control of Floatables and Settleable Trash & Debris

• Monitoring & Assessment of Controls

• Impaired Waters

• Recordkeeping/Reporting

For the purposes of NYClean we will focus on the “Control of Floatables and Settleable

Trash & Debris” component of the SWMP.

2.5 The MS4 Permit – Regulatory Background

Permits are primarily tools used to enforce the requirements of environmental mandates

and regulations. The MS4 Permit has been issued to the City of New York in order to

comply with water quality standards set forth by the Clean Water Act and the

Environmental Conservation Law. In order to understand the purpose of the MS4

permit, it is important to first look at the legislation behind it and the agencies involved.

On the federal level, the United States Environmental Protection Agency is responsible

for protecting human health and the environment by writing and enforcing regulations

based on laws passed by congress.12

The Clean Water Act passed in 1972 is the

primary piece of legislation that aims to restore and maintain our nation’s waterbodies

by preventing point and non-point pollution. The primary goal of the Clean Water Act is

to achieve water quality standards that allow waterbodies to be fishable and

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swimmable.13

Due to the size of New York City’s separately sewered system, New York

City is considered a large MS4 and is subject to Phase 1 permit requirements specified

under the Clean Water Act.11

The EPA enforces requirements set forth by the Clean

Water Act by acting as the regulator for all 50 states.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYDEC) is a state

level government agency that is regulated by the EPA. NYDEC is responsible for the

conservation, improvement, and protection of natural resources.14

As a part of their responsibilities and duties as the state regulatory environmental agency of New York,

they are required to administer and enforce the Environmental Conservation Law. This

law covers a number of different environmental topics and ensures resources are

properly used, regulated, managed, and monitored. In regards to the MS4 Permit, the

Environmental Conservation law requires NYDEC to:15

• Provide for abatement of water, land, and air pollution,

• Manage New York’s marine and coastal resources and,

• Promote the wise use of water resources

NYDEC enforces the components of the Environmental Conservation Law by acting as

the regulator for the cities of New York.

This brings us to the city level. The Department of Environmental Protection is

responsible for New York City’s environment and has the ability to take regulatory

action. It is because of their role in managing our city’s environment that they have

taken on a leadership position throughout the MS4 permit process.

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3.1 How Do We Achieve Permit Requirements?

The MS4 permit clearly lays out required tasks over the first five-year permit cycle,

which NYClean aims to address. In order to achieve these requirements it is important

that we:

• Look at what we need to do versus what we are currently doing,

• Identify strategies used in other municipalities that are applicable to New York, and

• Properly monitor and evaluate those strategies for effectiveness before, during and

after program implementation.

3.1 What is Required of us for Floatables Reduction Under

the MS4 permit?

Under the MS4 permit, New York City is required to develop a Floatables and Settleable

Trash and Debris Management Program. As a part of this program the city must

develop a floatables reduction plan by evaluating existing programs and identifying best

management practices, as well as methodologies used by other municipalities that will

reduce the amount of floatables being discharged to impaired waterbodies. Within the

first permit cycle, this plan must be submitted to NYDEC for approval before being

implemented.

3. Achieving Permit Requirements

Graphic: John Brock, 2015

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3.2 What are we currently doing to manage and reduce

floatables in NYC?

DEP Floatables Monitoring Program

Going back to 2011, NYC Department of Environmental Protection has been

implementing a floatables monitoring program that has been recorded in a number of

annual reports. The primary basis of this program is to help prioritize areas of New

York’s harbor that most need floatables control planning, within waterbodies affected by

combined sewers. Although this program does not focus on MS4 areas in particular, it

still provides valuable information on areas that are significantly impacted by floatables,

as well a solid foundation to build on for NYClean program development.16

The program is relatively simple. An observation-based assessment of the presence or

absence of floatables from 96 set monitoring sites throughout the harbor provides an

overall grade for each waterbody. Grades are based on a numeric 1 (very good) to 5

(very poor) rating scale and monitoring sites are made up of a combination of Harbor

Water Quality Survey stations and New York City Beach Floatables Survey program

sites. Data collection occurs 1 time for every station per week during bathing season,

June through September, and 2 times every month during the offseason, October

through May. Once data is collected and managed, 3 priority sites are identified based

on persistent “poor” ratings and a site-specific investigation is undertaken.16

Graphic: John Brock, 2015

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While this program certainly does exist, it is not very robust and needs to be more

comprehensive in order to be truly effective. The numeric 1-5 rating system is primarily

based on images taken at the beginning of the program each year. These images, while

consistently used throughout the program, do not provide a definitive explanation of

what makes a monitoring location good or poor, making the overall ratings essentially

subjective based on whoever is observing at the time. More concrete definitions or

boundaries to follow would allow for a more consistent grading process and reliable

data.

As for the priority sites for site specific investigations, a thorough investigation is not

possible due to the fact that sites vary every year. This again represents a lack of

consistency and reputable data. Sites that are chosen as priority sites should continue

to be monitored and compared with other priority sites to identify regularities, as well as

differences. This would help ensure that proper measures to reduce floatables are taken

based on the needs of specific areas, as well as addressing large scale problems

relevant to multiple areas. Improvements to the program such as these would

significantly strengthen it. Although this program originally intended to help solve issues

in combined sewered areas, it can be modified and applied to separately sewered areas

as well.

While DEP’s Floatable Monitoring Program is the primary program for reducing

floatables within New York City, there are also a number of other small programs that

aim to reduce litter and floatables as well, such as:

Graphic: DEP Floatables Monitoring Program

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Clean Streets = Clean Beaches

Clean Streets = Clean Beaches is an ongoing public information campaign and beach

clean-up program aimed at improving New York City beaches by preventing littering.

This program is conducted annually by DEP, in conjunction with the New York City

Department of Sanitation (DSNY) and the New York City Department of Health and

Mental Hygiene (NYCDOH).17

Mayors Score Card Street Cleaning Rating

The Mayor’s Office of Operations Scorecard carries out a score card street cleaning

program that measures and reports the cleanliness of streets and sidewalks throughout

New York City’s five boroughs. These results are reported to the Department of

Sanitation cleaning division to inform where to focus cleaning activities.18

Catch Basin Hoods Replacement and Cleaning Program

NYC DEP currently has a Catch Basin Hoods Replacement and Cleaning Program.

Under this program every catch basin is inspected on a three year cycle for the

condition of hoods. Hoods are structural devices used to block floatables from entering

sewer systems once in catch basins. Each catch basin is required to have a hood,

unless they are equipped with closed curb pieces which are considered acceptable for

floatables reduction. If an inspected catch basin is missing a hood, DEP will install a

new hood on compatible catch basins within 90 days. For catch basins that cannot

accept hood installations, DEP must reconstruct the basin within a reasonable time

frame so that it can be equipped with one.17

Booms/Nets

Within New York City, DEP has installed booms or floating barriers at 1 temporary and

23 permanent locations. Litter booms are made up of partially submerged booms that

are stringed together and collect floating objects within the water as they flow into it.3

These booms are maintained by DEP’s Bureau of Wastewater Treatment and are

visited during dry weather on a weekly basis and immediately following rain events by

survey vessels who report back conditions and dispatch skimmer vessels as needed.

Since 2010 DEP has seen decreasing trends in the amount of floatables, collecting 927

cubic yards in 2013.17

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Skimmer Vessels

DEP currently has a four skimmer vessel fleet. This fleet consists of two self-propelled

Aquarius skimmer vessels and two vintage skimmers that require towing. These

skimmer vessels are also operated by DEP’s Bureau of Wastewater Treatment and are

responsible for servicing the 24 boom and net containment sites located around New

York City. Vessels are dispatched within 24 to 48 hours of significant rain events to

retrieve floatables from booms and nets to be later disposed of at one of three floatable

debris offload sites located at Ward 26, Newtown Creek, and Bower Bay.17

Street Cleaning

DSNY has a fleet of approximately 450 street cleaners that each travel 3,400 miles a

year, on average, and clean the streets of New York (DSNY Annual Report). In order to

ensure effective street sweeping, the City enforces strict alternative street parking rules

that allow street cleaners to maximize cleaning capabilities.19

Illegal Dumping Enforcement

NYCDEP works together with DSNY to enforce and control illegal dumping. As a part of

this program NYCDEP looks at illegal dumping from street to water and directly at sea.

Cases of illegal dumping are identified via 311 calls or harbor survey monitoring by

NYCDEP. Once identified by NYCDEP, DSNY carries out enforcement with the use of

police who investigate waste disposal crimes, arrest suspects, and levy fines. Clean-

ups are then carried out based on jurisdiction or may be court ordered.17

Clean Community Campaign & Clean Ups

The Clean Community Campaign focuses on educating the public through the use of

informational fliers that focus on being a good neighbor by practicing proper sanitation

practices. The DSNY Office of Community Affairs provides Sanitation educational fliers

to community groups interested in promoting cleanliness and proper sanitation within

their neighborhoods. DSNY also provides free loans of clean-up tools and equipment to

community groups looking to clean up their neighborhoods.20

Adopt-a-Basket

Adopt-a-Basket is a volunteer program in which a business, organization or individual

agrees to monitor an existing litter basket. This helps prevent baskets from overflowing

into streets and becoming litter. In order for this program to operate DSNY provides

plastic bag liners, a collection schedule, and a contact person at the DSNY local district

operations office. Participants of the Adopt-a-Basket program are in charge of changing

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plastic bag liners once baskets are reaching capacity and placing full bags next the

basket for later collection by DSNY.20

As efforts to reduce floatables progress in New York City, it is important to look at all

programs that are currently in progress. New York City has a number of programs that

focus on littering. Programs that aim to reduce floatables should work in conjunction

with one another. Through the efficient communication and interagency collaboration

relevant programs can be combined, utilizing current resources, to maximize program

outcomes and success.

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3.3 What is a Best Management Practice?

A Best Management Practice (BMP) refers “to schedules, activities, prohibitions of

practices, maintenance procedures, and other management practices to prevent or

reduce the pollution of waters of the state. “ 13

3.3.1 Institutional vs. Structural

When dealing with best management practices there are two main types to consider.

The first type of best management practice is an institutional BMP. Institutional BMPs

refer to planning controls, monitoring protocols, pollution prevention procedures,

education and participation programs, and regulatory controls.21

When dealing with

floatables reduction, institutional best management practices can be extremely valuable

in educating the public on land-water connections and creating behavioral shifts that

can significantly decrease littering.

Case Study: Institutional BMPs

Philadelphia’s Green City, Clean Waters Are Contest

Philadelphia’s Green City, Clean Waters Art contest is a good example of an effective institutional

BMP and is used as a model for BMP selection in NYClean’s framework. Working with The

Partnership for Delaware Estuary, Philadelphia Water Department sponsors an annual art contest

for Philadelphia public, private and home-schooled students, grades K-12. This contest consists of

a “Green City, Clean Waters” theme that is intended to educate students about stormwater

runoff pollution to nearby waterbodies. The contest now acts as an education tool for not only

children, but all city residents, as winning art work is used to promote pollution prevention

messages on city transit systems and school calendars. In 2013 contest brochures were

distributed to over 750 schools, libraries, teachers and informal educators, as well as other

educational institutions across Philadelphia. With 700 entries being received last year, the Green

City, Clean Waters Art Contest continues to grow and develop, acting as a powerful education

and outreach tool for the city of Philadelphia.22

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The second type of best management practice is a structural BMP. Structural BMPs

refer to technologies or devices that can be installed into the sewer system to

physically remove trash and debris from streets, waterbodies, or the sewer system

itselft. There are a number of different structural BMPs that are used to remove and

reduce floatables.

Case Study: Structural BMPs

Baltimore’s Water Wheel An interesting structural BMP used by the City of Baltimore is the Water Wheel. The

Water Wheel is essentially a floating debris trap that sits at the mouth of the Jones Falls

River in the inner harbor of Baltimore. Equipped with a water wheel and solar panels, this

structural BMP is completely by the flow of water and sunlight, making it energy self-

sufficient. With a capability of removing 50,000 lbs of trash a day, the Water Wheel lifts

trash and debris from the water and deposits it in a mobile barge to be removed later.

Since its installation on May 9, 2014, the Water Wheel has been responsible for removing

158.57 tons (776 cubic yards) of trash and debris from Baltimore’s inner harbor and has

become a symbol of cleanliness for the city.23

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3.3.2 Points of Intervention & Ownership

Looking back at our 4-D Model, it becomes apparent that different types of BMPs are

more applicable during certain phases of the process than others. For example,

institutional BMPs are most applicable during the “Dropped” phase of a floatable.

Institutional BMPs such as anti-littering campaigns, storm drain labeling and street

sweeping may be considered for the Dropped phase with the hopes of eliminating the

source of liter by educating the public and creating a behavioral shift. Structural BMPs

come into play at the “Drained” phase. At this phase inlet structural devices, such as

storm drain grates and hoods represent the first line of defense for our storm sewer

system. During the “Directed” phase in-line structural BMPs, such as separators and

netting, are options for floatables removal once they enter the system. Due to high costs

and extensive required maintenance, in-line devices are a less practical option for New

York City. The “Discharged” phase comes with a number of end-of-pipe options, such

as containment booms and skimmer vessels. These structural best management

practices aim to minimize the extent of damage floatables cause and remove litter that

makes its way completely through the system from waterbodies.

Graphic: John Brock, 2015

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In order for structural BMPs to function efficiently, it is important that responsible city

agencies take ownership, respectively, at points of intervention where they have the

most control and capacity to act.

Graphic: John Brock, 2015

Graphic: John Brock, 2015

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3.4 How do we determine the amount of floatables entering a

system?

To determine how much trash is entering a system it is important to first look at two

contributing factors. The first factor is trash generation rate. This refers to volume of

trash that is being generated and deposited in a particular area. The second factor is

trash interception rate. Trash interception is the volume of trash being intercepted by

control measures prior to being discharged. These two factors allow us to get an idea of

the amount of floatables entering a system by looking at what is being generated or put

into the system compared to what is being intercepted or taken out of the system. The

difference between the two defines what ultimately enters a system, which is referred to

as our loading rate.24

Graphic: John Brock, 2015

Based on SF

NYClean

23

Floatables Reduction Program Systems Diagram

In order to develop a comprehensive floatables reduction program, it is important to

consider all contributing factors. To help with this, NYClean began the program

development phase by constructing a systems diagram. The floatables reduction

program systems diagram demonstrates the key components of NYClean, and allows

us to pin point where program elements interact. The below diagram represents the

initial thought pattern behind NYClean. By considering types of BMPs, focus areas, program benefits, and involved stakeholders, we were able to develop an integrated framework that considers the multiple elements on which NYClean focuses.

4. Program Framework:

Graphic: John Brock, 2015

NYClean

24

4.1 Identify Focus Area

The first step in our floatables reduction program should be to identify focus areas. In

order to determine how to better reduce and manage floatables within a system, we

must first identify the system. Focus areas will play an important role throughout the

implementation of NYClean. They should intend to identify areas that contribute most to

floatables as well as allow us to determine the amounts and types of floatables being

discharged into waterbodies.3 Site selection for focus areas will be based on a set of

criteria that have an influence on the amount of floatables present in an area, but also

provide opportunities for NYClean to be effective within the community.

Multiple Sources for Floatables:

Our focus areas should have multiple sources for litter. These sources can be

businesses or institutions such as fast food establishments, shopping centers, schools

or transit areas that produce easily identifiable litter.25

Graphic: John Brock, 2015

Based on CWA, California

NYClean

25

Highly Impacted by Litter:

Focus areas should also be communities that are highly impacted by litter. This should

be determined by using the Mayors Score Cards to find areas that consistently receive

poor ratings or by doing walk through analyses of areas of interest. Choosing areas that

are highly impacted by litter will allow us to apply resources where needed.25

Direct Connection to Waterbody:

A direct connection to a waterbody is an important component for any focus area. With

the focus of NYClean being floatables that arise from street litter, we want to make sure

that street litter is being discharged directly into a waterbody from the street and through

other means such as vehicular deposition or illegal dumping.25

High Level of Foot Traffic:

Since littering is a direct result of our own behavior, focus areas should be places with

heavy foot traffic. It is important to be certain that trash is being generated on site and is

a direct result of littering within the community.25

Strong Community Presence:

NYClean requires significant community involvement. In order for NYClean to be

effective and successful, community input and participation is necessary throughout

program implementation. Due to this it is important that there is a strong community

presence in focus areas. This will ensure that communities have the capacity to actively

participate in NYClean and uphold components of the program within those

communities.25

Covers at least 1/2 mile of street within an MS4 area:

Boundaries must be set when determining where our focus areas are. For NYClean, a

focus area must cover at least ½ mile of street and fall within an MS4 area. This

threshold is based on one used in a litter reduction pilot study done by Clean Water

Action California. In a large city like New York, boundaries are important for choosing

areas to focus NYClean that will allow the program to be most effective.25

NYClean

26

Once selected, sites should be mapped based on drainage areas and tributaries that

are specific to the focus area. Sites should then be characterized based on land uses

and specific community needs should be identified for each focus area. Below are three

examples of focus areas that meet site selection criteria and may be good starting

points for NYClean.

The Bronx: CO-Op City/Baychester

Maps; John Brock, 2015

Google Earth

GIS, Pluto

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Queens: Coney Island

Maps; John Brock, 2015

Google Earth

GIS, Pluto

NYClean

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Queens: Rockaway Park/ Seaside

Maps; John Brock, 2015

Google Earth

GIS, Pluto

NYClean

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4.2 Develop Monitoring Schedule & Protocol

Monitoring is an essential component of NYClean. Effective monitoring will allow us to

track progress throughout the program and provide data for measuring successes and

failures. Different monitoring strategies should be used at different phases of program

development and implementation. NYClean uses the Clean Communities

Assessment Tool to lay out what we want to monitor as well as how and when we

should plan to monitor it. The monitoring component of NYClean will require

partnerships with community-based organizations, non-profits, and advocacy groups

that have a strong presence in the community and can aid in implementing monitoring

strategies.

Intended Actions vs. Delivered Actions

This monitoring strategy is meant to keep track of program deliverables and to measure

the quality of program design and implementation. Failure to implement a component of

the program can hinder its overall performance. Due to this it is important to make sure

that program components are delivered on time and to identify issues that may arise

throughout to the implementation process. This form of monitoring is meant to aid in

program evaluation at later stages.26

How? This should be monitored with the use of audit checklist of intended actions. Audit

checklist will allow us to keep track of program components that are being implemented

Graphic: John Brock, 2015

NYClean

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and to make note of those that are not as well as why they are not. This type of

monitoring should occur during the program and the data produced should be used at

the later evaluation stages.

Awareness, Behaviors & Attitudes Towards Litter

With public education being a major factor of NYClean, it is important to monitor

people’s awareness, behaviors, and attitudes towards litter. This information will help

inform the use of institutional BMPs, measure and assess changes in levels of

awareness and knowledge on land-water connections, and provide feedback for ways

to better shape our program.26

How? Awareness, behaviors and attitudes towards littering should be monitored using

community based surveys and physical environmental assessments. By using both of

these strategies we will be able to compare self-assed data with actual outcomes to

determine how our institutional BMPs alter awareness, behavior and attitudes, while

also demonstrating whether those changes correlate to actual reductions in floatables.

These strategies occur before, during and after program implementation and should

consider:26

•Community involvement

•Level of available resources

•Condition of infrastructure

•Attitudes towards littering

•Perceptions towards littering

Stormwater Floatable Loads

The end goal of NYClean is to achieve a reduction of floatables and improve overall

water quality. In order to ensure that our program reaches these goals, we must monitor

stormwater floatable loads. The intent of this monitoring strategy is to determine what

effect, if any, NYClean has on the amount of floatables being discharged into

waterbodies.

How? In order to monitor floatable loads a catchment study must be performed. A

catchment study should consist of manually sampling trash captured in storm drains at

drain inlet structures, as well as trash collected by skimmers or booms at end of pipe

structures. A pre-program monitoring phase should commence 6 months prior to

implementation of NYClean and should continue during and after the program. Samples

should be taken, measured, sorted and weighed once a month regularly and after

significant rain events.26

NYClean

31

4.3 Develop Methodology to Determine Generation Rate &

Loading Rate

There are multiple ways to calculate generation rates and loading rates. For a better

understanding of these techniques NYClean primarily focuses on methodologies used

by San Francisco and Los Angeles. Both methodologies provide adequate means for

these calculations.

San Francisco Methodology:

Generation Rate:24

R= Site specific trash generation rate (gal/day)

V= Total trash volume for a site during the monitoring periods (gallons)

D= Total accumulation period for a site (days)

E= Street Sweeping Effectiveness (fraction)

Loading Rate:24

Tload = Preliminary baseline trash load from MS4 (gal/year)

i = land use category

n = Total number of land use categories

Ri= Average annual trash generation rate for land use category i (gal/acre)

Ai = Total effective loading area in land use category i (acre)

Si = Estimated baseline street sweeping effectiveness for an effective loading area with

land use i

Pi = Estimated effectiveness of baseline maintenance conducted at a pump station with

a trash rack (.25) draining an effective loading area with land use i

D = Estimated effectiveness of baseline storm drain inlet maintenance (.05)

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Los Angeles Methodology:

Daily Generation Rate:27

Loading Rate:27

4.4 Characterize Floatables to Determine Sources

As we monitor floatables we should attempt to characterize trash and debris in order to

determine their sources. A characterization study will allow us to identify these sources

as well as key offenders. This will help inform our decisions on BMP selections and

assist in further shaping NYClean to meet the needs of different communities.

NYClean’s characterization study is based on strategies developed by San Francisco.

The first step in performing a characterization study should be to set up a schedule for

monitoring cleanout events. These events should occur within the areas chosen as

focus areas based on the site selection criteria. A characterization study should take

place over the course of a year and should have four monitoring cleanout events, one

for each season.

Once a schedule is decided, cleanouts should be carried out. Cleanout events should

consist of removing all trash and debris captured by storm drain inlet devices. Once

collected, materials should be bagged and transported to a centralized location where

characterization activities will be carried out by a third party consultant. When these

cleanout events occur it is important to consider and record the following factors:

NYClean

33

Trash Accumulation Period

Trash accumulation period accounts for the number of days a storm drain has gone

through without being cleaned out. It is important to consider this when looking at weight

and total volume. A longer accumulation period may account for a greater volume of

trash and should be considered when analyzing results.24

Rainfall

The number of wet weather days that occur during accumulation periods and the total

amount of rainfall are important to consider. Significant rainfall events trigger the

discharge of floatables into waterbodies. Rain events that occur prior to cleanouts can

have an effect on the presence of trash and debris in storm drains.24

Antecedent Dry Weather Days

Antecedent dry weather day refer to days without significant rain events. Just like days

with rain, days without rain also have an effect on the presence of trash and debris by

allowing for the buildup of material at storm drains.24

At the centralized location, the third part consultant should separate trash from other

debris and begin the characterization process. Categories should be determined and

trash should be separated into groups accordingly. These individual categories should

be weighed and measured for total volume by being placed in measureable containers

that range from 32 ounces to 5 gallons. Data should then be recorded for later use.24

4.5 Calculate Generation Rate & Loading Rate

NYClean recommends the use of San Francisco’s methodology and identifies data

needs that are required to make calculations. This data will allow New York City to

modify the San Francisco formula accordingly and obtain the most accurate results

specific to New York. Interagency collaboration and information sharing will be useful in

obtaining this data and ensuring that all necessary factors are considered.

The following data should be considered when calculating generation rates and loading

rates:

BWSO Catch Basin Volumes

GIS Data for Locations of Significant Sources (ex: Fast Food Establishments)

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DSNY Trash Bin Data

SCOUT Score Card Data

NYPD/FDNY Parking Enforcement

DSNY Street Sweeping Data

OLTPS 311 Dumping Complaint Data

Field Survey– Amount of floatables at Inlet, End of Pipe, Open Water locations

Precipitation Analysis

4.6 Identify Complimentary Structural and Institutional BMPs

Using NYClean’s 4-D model, it becomes clear that the “Dropped,” “Drained,” and

“Discharged” phases offer the most room for intervention. With this in mind NYClean

has identified types of structural and institutional BMPs that could be considered by

New York City for use at those phases as well as provides criteria for selecting specific

ones. These BMPs should work in conjunction with one another to maximize their ability

to reduce floatables and should be selected based on the below criteria.

Based on Coopertive Research Center for Catchment Hydrology21

Graphic: John Brock, 2015

NYClean

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Institutional Best Management Practices

The Street Steward Program is a built-in component of NYClean that uses multiple

institutional BMPs. This program should be a well-branded public education and

outreach campaign that focuses on floatables and aims to educate the public on issues

regarding stormwater pollution. The goal of the Street Steward Program should be to

encourage residence to reconnect with New York City’s waterfront and create a

behavioral shift that could significantly reduce the amount of floatables discharged into

our waterbodies. The Street Steward Program aims to address the “Dropped” phase of

our 4-D Model by having communities become stewards of their streets and reduce

sources of floatables at their early stages. The Street Steward Program should be

integrated with current floatables reduction programs and should be made up of the

following institutional BMPs:

The Street Steward Seal is a recognizable logo

that will be associated with Street Steward

Programs. Along with the main NYClean logo

this seal will be used to identify programs and

projects that have been approved by the Street

Steward Program.

The Street Steward Program!

Graphic: John Brock, 2015

Graphic: John Brock, 2015

NYClean

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Social Media:

The city should view this as an opportunity to begin a direct dialogue with residence of

New York City. Under the NYClean program, street steward Facebook, Twitter, and

Instagram accounts should be created that focus on the newly developed NYClean

brand. This will be used to directly interact with communities. Social media can be used

to promote events, deliver information and give an idea of how many people NYClean is

actually reaching. These tools can also be easily managed and would not come at any

true additional cost to the city.

Storm Drain Labeling Program & Workshops:

Storm drain labeling can be effective for discouraging the illegal dumping of trash into

MS4 sewer systems. The uses of medallions, stenciling and etching are common for

storm drain labeling programs. Due to expressed concern over vandalism and removal

of medallions, NYClean uses etching as a primary method. As a new standard, newly

installed storm grates should be engraved with NYClean logos and anti-dumping

slogans that inform the public on their connections to waterbodies. For those storm

grates that are already installed, less permanent solutions such as stenciling should be

considered.

As a component of the storm drain labeling program there should also be monthly

workshops held within MS4 communities. These workshops should consist of brief

presentations on New York City’s sewer system that touch on the land-water connection

and explain the reasons behind the storm drain labeling program. After the presentation,

willing community members should be taken out to the street where they can personally

help with storm drain stenciling. This will give communities an understanding of how

land-based actions affect waterbodies and will also give them a first-hand perspective

on how litter becomes a floatable.

Art Contest Transit Campaigns:

Although transit campaigns are expensive they would be highly effective in a city like

New York. Similar to the strategy used in Philadelphia, NYClean’s transit campaign

would consist of art that illustrates ways that littering can pollute our waterbodies. As a

part of NYClean, art contests within schools would be hosted where students are asks

to illustrate ways that our land-based actions effect surrounding waterbodies. Winners

of these contests will be selected and their art will be featured as the primary images for

the NYClean transit campaign. This approach also helps to avoid additional spending

on the development of graphic designs and also offers yet another avenue to educate

as well as interact with communities.

NYClean

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Public Service Video Series:

Public service video series can be useful in addressing simple or complex topics in a

way that is understandable to people of all ages and backgrounds. Cities such as

Philadelphia28

and San Diego29

have both developed Emmy award-winning public

service announcement series, as a means of reaching out and educating the public. To

avoid large costs of creating and implementing a video series, it may be possible to

partner with non-profit organizations or universities within New York City to develop a

video series for city use. This series should highlight the ongoing projects within MS4

communities and be used to reach a wider audience within New York City, to educate

those outside of MS4 areas.

Structural Best Management Practices

Although the Street Steward Program aims to reduce the overall amount of trash that is

generated in communities, it still requires the use of structural BMPs to be successful.

Due to this, NYClean considers the use of structural BMPs that complement the Street

Steward Program at the “Drained” and “Discharged” phases of our 4-D Model. These

are the most realistic phases for New York City to implement structural BMPs. NYClean

looks at structural BMPs that offer a high capture rate and do not require significant

construction or additional maintenance.3 Like the Street Steward Program, these

structural BMPs should be add-ons to current New York City practices, such as the use

of street sweeping and skimmer vessels.

Graphic: John Brock, 2015

NYClean

38

Storm Grate Retrofits & Curb Inlet Protectors:

NYClean calls for the retrofitting of current storm grates. As mentioned above, New

York City storm grates should all require NYClean logos and anti-dumping labeling as a

new standard. Storm grates being installed in NYClean focus areas should also be

equipped with new curb inlet protectors that are better designed to block trash and litter.

More effective curb inlet protectors, along with timely street sweeping, will provide

greater opportunity to remove trash and litter at the “Drained” phase of our 4-D Model.30

Side Entry Pit Traps:

Side entry pit traps are structural BMPs that are installed at the entrance of storm

drains. These traps are made up of fitted baskets that capture any trash or debris that

bypass curb inlet protectors while still allowing for stormwater to flow through.3 Due to

cleaning maintenance that is required approximately once a month, side entry pit traps

should only be installed in focus areas where floatables are most prominent. This will be

determined through the site selection and monitoring phases of NYClean. For those

areas, cleaning maintenance can be added to our current Catch Basin Cleaning

Program. Side entry pit traps will act as a second line of defense for floatables in areas

with higher generation rates.

Floating Debris Traps:

Floating debris traps have been becoming more commonly used over recent years.

Evolving from booms, floating debris traps offer higher capture efficiency and represent

an improved method for cleaning waterways. Like booms, these traps use floating arms

with fitted skirts that are intended to deflect trash and debris through a flap gate and into

a collection area to be removed later. A key difference from booms that makes these

traps more effective is their ability to adapt to changes in waterway flows. The location

of floating debris traps should be carefully considered so that they are placed in direct

flow paths of floatables and do not interfere with the navigable use of waterdobies.3 Due

to the size and costs of floating debris traps, large scale installations of these traps are

not fully practical. However, NYClean suggests that at least one be installed in an area

highly impaired for floatables and that it works with currently in-use booms and skimmer

vessel programs. Floating debris traps have been proven to be effective at removing

floatables, however they also provide a platform for expressing and visualizing the

issues surrounding floatables. Due to this, floating debris traps allow for moments to

engage and educate communities, demonstrating how structural and institutional BMPs

intersect with one another.

NYClean

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4.7 Determine Quality Assurance & Evaluation Procedures

Throughout the monitoring phases quality assurance procedures should be established

and executed. Quality assurance procedures are meant to guard from error and ensure

that accurate and reliable data is collected for later evaluation.

An evaluation component is also crucial for any program. Evaluation provides a way to

measure success and failures, as well as helps to sustain programs by validating their

purposes with supporting data. This component of NYClean is meant to improve overall

program improvement in regards to decisions on resource use, needs and practice, as

well as ensure that goals are being met. Evaluation procedures should occur once

halfway through the fiscal year and once at year end as a part of annual reporting

requirements. Effective evaluation programs should consist of a structure that allows for

the:31

• Setting and measuring of goals,

• Collection of data

• Synthesizing and reporting of results

Graphic: John Brock, 2015

Based on National Collaborative Workforce & Disability

NYClean

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The components of NYClean make up a comprehensive program that is capable of

significantly reducing floatables. However, the effectiveness of this program is

dependent on how it is carried out. The following recommendations should be

considered throughout the implementation process of NYClean in order to ensure the

highest level of success.

Focus on the Dropped &Drained Phases

When implementing any program it is important to focus resources on areas that

provide the most opportunity for positive change. When looking at our 4-D model, it is

clear that the “Dropped” and “Drained” phases are those areas when dealing with

floatables in New York City. Due to this, an emphasis should be placed on these two

phases as program components begin to be further developed. The “Dropped” and

“Drained” phases provide significant opportunities to address floatables at the source

as well as establish a strong understanding of land-water connections among

communities.

Create an Identifiable Logo/Brand for NYClean that is Easily Recognizable

Since NYClean requires significant participation from communities, it should be

branded with an easily recognizable campaign name, logo, and slogan. Branding would

be an effective way to bring awareness to NYClean and link components of the

program together. This would allow for a more effective way to convey messages to the

public, to start the conversation on stormwater pollution, and to help communities build

relationships with concepts that surround important issues.

Interagency Collaboration/Ownership

Interagency collaboration and ownership is important throughout the entire MS4

permitting phase. It is important to stress that NYClean is a city-wide initiative and

requires a collaborative effort in order to be successful. NYClean will most effectively

reduce floatables if agencies work together, share information, and take appropriate

ownership at each point of intervention, ultimatley providing an overall higher capacity

to act and achieve program goals.

Build on and Combine existing programs to utilize current resources

Although NYClean introduces a new program for reducing floatables, it is also important

to look at existing programs and for ways to build on and incorporate them into

NYClean. There are a number of existing programs that offer resources and data that

5. Next Steps & Recommendations

NYClean

41

can be useful for NYClean. Utilizing and incorporating them into our new program will

further strengthen NYClean and ensure that resources are not wasted replicating what

has already been done for us.

“Clean Street = Clean Beaches”

SCOUT/Scorecard

DEP Floatables Monitoring Program

Catch Basin Hoods and Cleaning Program

Booms/Nets

Skimmer Vessels

Illegal Dumping Enforcement

Adopt-a-Basket

Clean Community Campaign

Community Clean Ups

Partner with Prominent Nonprofit/Community Organizations to Hit on

Community Needs and Increase Involvement

Outside organizations can be used as a resource for program implementation.

Organizations that are active in communities where NYClean targets will provide outlets

to gain community involvement and properly select BMPs that meet community needs.

Strong community involvement is also important throughout the monitoring and

evaluation stages to gain feedback and measure success.

Riverkeeper

S.W.I.M

Rockaway Waterfront Alliance

Friends of Kaiser Park

Hutchinson River Restoration Project

Community Boards

Develop Concrete Monitoring Protocols in Order to Evaluate the Effectiveness of

Program

The development and proper execution of monitoring protocols are essential to program

success. Throughout the entirety of NYClean, it is important that data is recorded so

that it can later be used to evaluate success and failures. This will allow us to identify

strengths and weaknesses within the program and further develop and improve it in

areas of need.

NYClean

42

The initial thought on how to solve issues surrounding floatables is typically to get

people to simply stop littering. In theory this seems logical, but when considering the

big picture of how litter becomes a floatable the issue becomes much more difficult to

address. In order to manage and reduce the amount of floatables in our waterbodies,

we have to understand where they are coming from and how they are making it into the

water. This thought brings up the key idea behind NYClean that we are all connected to

the waterfront and that our land-based actions affect its condition.

NYClean aims to make that connection evident by using a systems thinking approach

and proposing solutions that can be carried out within a single integrated program that

will not only improve water quality but also reconnect us with the waterfront. This

program addresses requirements of New York City’s MS4 permit by looking at ways to

improve on current practices and identifying additional strategies being used by other

municipalities that are applicable to New York.

The framework and recommendations laid out in NYClean offers an opportunity for New

Yorkers to work together and clean up our city.

6. Conclusion

Image: John Brock, 2015

NYClean

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1 A Stronger, More Resilient New York. New York City. 2013.

http://s-media.nyc.gov/agencies/sirr/SIRR_singles_Hi_res.pdf

2

Press Release. “More Than 18 Million Safely Visited City Beaches This Year, As

Citywide Beach Attendance Grows By More Than 22%.” New York City Department of

Parks and Recreation. 2014.

http://www.nycgovparks.org/news/press-releases?id=21249

3 From Roads to Rivers. Cooperative Research Center for Catchment Hydrology, 1998.

http://www.ewater.com.au/archive/crcch/archive/pubs/pdfs/technical199806pt1.pdf

4

Types of Sewer Drainage Areas in New York City. New York City Department of

Environmental Protection, 2015. http://www.nyc.gov/html/dep/html/stormwater/sewer_system_types.shtml

5

New York City’s Wastewater. New York City Department of Environmental Protection,

2015. http://www.nyc.gov/html/dep/html/wastewater/index.shtml

6

Mission Statement of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection. New

York City Department of Environmental Protection, 2015. http://www.nyc.gov/html/dep/html/about_dep/mission_statement.shtml

7

Andrady, Anthony. Plastics and the Environment. 2003.

8

Entanglement of Marine Species in Marine Debris with an Emphasis on Species in the

United States. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2014.

http://marinedebris.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/mdp_entanglement.pdf

9

Ballance, A., P.G. Ryan, and J.K. Turpie. "How Much Is a Clean Beach Worth? The

Impact of Litter on Beach Users in the Cape Peninsula, South Africa." South African

Journal of Science. 2000.

10

State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) Permit Program. New York

State Department of Environmental Conservation, 2015. http://www.dec.ny.gov/permits/6054.html

7. Sources

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11 New York City DRAFT MS4 Permit. 2013-2014

http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/water_pdf/ms4nycdraft.pdf

12 Our Mission and What We Do. Environmental Protection Agency, 2015.

http://www2.epa.gov/aboutepa/our-mission-and-what-we-do

13

Summary of the Clean Water Act. Environmental Protection Agency, 2015.

http://www2.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-clean-water-act

14

About DEC. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, 2015.

http://www.dec.ny.gov/24.html

15

Environmental Conservation Law. New York State Department of Environmental

Conservation, 2015. http://www.dec.ny.gov/regulations/40195.html

16

Floatables Monitoring Program Progress Report. New York City: New York City

Department of Environmental Protection, 2014.

17

DEP Floatables Management Presentation. New York City Department of

Environmental Protection, 2015.

18

Scorecard/Street Cleanliness Ratings. Mayor's Office of Operations, 2015.

http://www.nyc.gov/html/ops/html/data/street_scorecard.shtml

19

2012 Annual Report on Alternative Fuel Vehicle Programs Pursuant to Local Law 38

of 2005. City of New York Department of Sanitation, 2012. http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcas/downloads/pdf/fleet/fleet_local_law_38_DSNY_2012_final_report_3

_25_2013.pdf

20

Volunteer Programs. The City of New York Department of Sanitation, 2015.

http://www1.nyc.gov/site/dsny/resources/initiatives/volunteer-programs.page

21 Taylor, Andre, and Tony Wong. Non-Structural Stormwater Quality Best Management

Practices - A Literature Review of Their Value and Life-Cycle Costs. Cooperative

Research Center for Catchment Hydrology, 2002.

http://www.ewater.com.au/archive/crcch/archive/pubs/pdfs/Technical200213.pdf

22

Stormwater Management Program Annual Report. Philadelphia Water Department,

2014. http://phillywatersheds.org/doc/FY2014CSO_SWARwithAppendices_rev.pdf

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23 Water Wheel. Healthy Harbor, 2015.

http://www.healthyharborbaltimore.org/whats-happening-now/water-wheel

24

Preliminary Baseline Trash Generation Rates for San Francisco Bay Area MS4s.

EOA, 2012. http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/sanfranciscobay/water_issues/programs/stormwater/MRP/02-

2012/BASMAA/Baseline_Trash_Loads.pdf

25

Taking Out the Trash: A Source Reduction Pilot Project. Clean Water Action, 2010-

2011. http://www.cleanwateraction.org/files/images/ca/TOTT%20monitoring%20combined%20results.p

df

26

Monitoring and Evaluating an Education/Participation Campaign to Reduce Littering

and Stormwater Litter Loads in a Small Commercial Shopping District in Melbourne.

Cooperative Research Center for Catchment Hydrology, 2005.

http://www.ewater.com.au/archive/crcch/archive/pubs/pdfs/technical200510.pdf

27

Trash Total Maximum Daily Loads for the Los Angeles River Watershed. California

Regional Water Quality Control Board, 2007.

http://www.epa.gov/waters/tmdldocs/34863-RevisedStaffReport2v2.pdf

28

GreenTrecks Network. Philadelphia, 2015.

http://www.greentreks.tv/

29

Think Blue Videos. Think Blue San Diego, 2015.

http://www.sandiego.gov/thinkblue/news/videos.shtml

30

Products. Suntree Technologies, 2015.

http://suntreetech.com/Products/default.aspx

31

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Program Evaluation. NCWD for Youth, 2004.

http://www.ncwd-youth.info/assets/guides/mentoring/Mentoring-Chapter_6.pdf

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8. Appendix

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