Stormwater ruling a win for small cities

Olympia

Dozens of cities surrounding Puget Sound should encourage more eco-friendly development that better controls toxic stormwater, but they don't need rules as stringent as big cities such as Seattle and Tacoma's, according to a new state ruling.

The decision was largely a victory for the state Department of Ecology and smaller cities, which had resisted environmentalists' calls for tougher development standards for stormwater.

The board, known as the Pollution Control Hearings Board, had previously endorsed environmentalists' demands for tougher stormwater rules for the most populous places, including Seattle, Tacoma, and King, Snohomish and Pierce counties.

But the board ruled smaller cities with fewer resources shouldn't be held to the same standard. Instead, they should take steps to encourage "low-impact development," which aims to get water to soak back into the ground, rather than running off to nearby streams and lakes.

In its new ruling, the board said smaller cities don't have to mandate such techniques from developers.

Polluted stormwater is the major source of toxic contamination in Puget Sound, flushing in millions of gallons of oil and other chemicals from roads, sidewalks and loans.