Navigating Change: Reviving the Construction Stormwater Program in a Small Community

Grappling with construction and development in a small city can be a challenge. Between the investor wanting to develop another big box store, and the small business owner filling a lot with demolition debris, stormwater permitting can be a diverse dilemma! It becomes even trickier when navigating loss of key staff, strained communications, and practices in need of updates. Throughout 2023 and 2024, Beckley, WV's construction stormwater program underwent significant organizational changes, driven by a shifting of staff and responsibilities, and a fresh look at regulatory requirements and communications. This presentation will narrate the Beckley team's story of reviewing and reengaging the construction stormwater program, learning from the past, and preparing for the future.

Full Abstract: Beckley WV is a small municipal stormwater (MS4) community in the heart of Appalachia. The city dynamic is shaped by a coal mining history, an economic hub for rural southern WV, a growing focus on outdoor recreation, and a city government structure in transition. The city's stormwater program is administered by the Beckley Sanitary Board (BSB), which operates as a department of the city, funded through stormwater fees. Regulated development in Beckley ranges from large-scale commercial NPDES development and utility contracts to smaller "weekend" contractors who may be unaccustomed to any stormwater permitting. Our construction stormwater program is responsible for permitting and inspecting both large and small land disturbance activities within the designated watershed.
In 2023 and 2024, staffing changes and new city dynamics launched Beckley into a challenging new chapter in its construction stormwater program. When multiple key staff in the stormwater program left the organization, the program's demands were placed on the department's remaining staff and new hires. Across the community, development plan submissions and active construction continued as the 2023 construction season accelerated. In addition to permitted construction sites, the summer brought multiple appearances of unregulated dumping and filling. Throughout 2023, BSB staff made multiple construction site inspections where erosion and sediment control issues were noted. In response to the sudden change in personnel, and the dynamic atmosphere of construction in the small community, Beckley Sanitary Board environmental staff began to reorganize multiple parts of the construction stormwater program.
The primary reorganization involved training and designating staff in new roles to cover the needs of the program. Among remaining staff and new hires, BSB initiated cross training related to erosion and sediment control inspections and development plan review. As new development was proposed and large and small construction continued, new teams emerged to handle development tracking, construction site inspections, and outside correspondence.
The staffing shift also led Beckley to revisit its communications with other departments of the city, as well as with outside contractors. in an effort to coordinate with local code enforcement offices, Beckley developed enhanced communications pathways with these departments, as well as the city's public works department. In order to alleviate confusion from construction contractors related to permitting requirements, Beckley updated a series of application forms and permit explanation documents, and made these documents more readily available to applicants. BSB also revived its onsite preconstruction meetings, and enhanced verbal communications with developers and construction site supervisors to provide some erosion and sediment education, and to listen to concerns from those professionals. Consistent internal and external communication has become a key factor in preparing a contractor for a successful site, and for finding resolution when a site has compliance concerns.
This growth and reorganization is ongoing in Beckley. The construction stormwater program continues to adapt as development becomes more complex, communication becomes consistent, and people become more confident in understanding and ensuring responsible environmental stewardship through construction practices.