<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto">Solar panels were treated like pavement at first. Of course they don’t behave like that type of impervious surface. About a half dozen or so years ago DEP developed a more realistic way to access raised panels effects on runoff that accounts for water running under them. Check with DEP.<div><br></div><div>Jeff Lacy</div><div>Rural Planning Associates</div><div>(413) 253-0705<br><br><div dir="ltr">Sent from my iPhone</div><div dir="ltr"><br><blockquote type="cite">On Aug 13, 2021, at 1:09 PM, Heidi Ricci <hricci@massaudubon.org> wrote:<br><br></blockquote></div><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr">
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<p class="MsoNormal">Mass DEP recognizes that the arrays are impervious surfaces and large ground mounted projects are subject to the stormwater management standards.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.mass.gov/guides/massdep-wetlands-program-policy-17-1-photovoltaic-system-solar-array-review">https://www.mass.gov/guides/massdep-wetlands-program-policy-17-1-photovoltaic-system-solar-array-review</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.aswm.org/pdf_lib/member_webinar/wetlands_protection_act_and_section_401_permitting_process_mass_dep_100415.pdf">https://www.aswm.org/pdf_lib/member_webinar/wetlands_protection_act_and_section_401_permitting_process_mass_dep_100415.pdf</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Local wetland or stormwater bylaws can have broader definitions and stricter standards than the state regs.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Heidi<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Gill Sans MT",sans-serif;color:#2F5496">E. Heidi Ricci
<br>
</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Gill Sans MT",sans-serif;color:#2F5496">Director of Policy<i>
</i>and Advocacy<i><br>
</i>Mass Audubon <br>
208 South Great Road <br>
Lincoln, MA 01773 <br>
c 781-622-8911<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Gill Sans MT",sans-serif;color:#2F5496">o 781-259-2172
<br>
<a href="mailto:hricci@massaudubon.org">hricci@massaudubon.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Gill Sans MT",sans-serif;color:#365F91">Pronouns: she/her(s)</span><span style="font-family:"Gill Sans MT",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Gill Sans MT",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Gill Sans MT",sans-serif;color:#2F5496">Visit
</span><u><span style="color:blue"><a href="http://www.massaudubon.org/"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Gill Sans MT",sans-serif">www.massaudubon.org</span></a></span></u><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Gill Sans MT",sans-serif;color:#2F5496">
to learn more about our conservation, education, and advocacy work.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><div><image001.png></div><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> MassPlanners <massplanners-bounces@masscptc.org>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Michael Antonellis<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, August 13, 2021 12:57 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> massplanners@masscptc.org<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Massplanners] Stormwater Bylaws - Impervious Surfaces<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Hello All,<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">My question is specific to ground mounted solar panels.<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Do your communities define impervious surfaces beyond just a general definition? For example does your zoning bylaw/ordinance or stormwater management bylaw/ordinance include specific types of surfaces or structures as "impervious"? <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">I came across a description of solar panels as "disjointed impervious" and that description was stated as being defined by the NPDES program, however I can't locate any reference to that on the EPA website for the program. Any insight would
be helpful. <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Apologies if this question has come up before, I'll be sure to dig through the archives as well.<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">best,<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">-- <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">--<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Michael Antonellis<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Planning and Land Use Consultant<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:MEAPlanning@gmail.com" target="_blank">MEAPlanning@gmail.com</a><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">MA Planning, LLC<o:p></o:p></p>
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<span>-- </span><br><span>MassPlanners mailing list</span><br><span>MassPlanners@masscptc.org</span><br><span>http://masscptc.org/mailman/listinfo/massplanners_masscptc.org</span><br></div></blockquote></div></body></html>