City of L.A. Receives Kudos from U.S. EPA

The City's Watershed Protection Division (WPD) is leading by example.

In 2007, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) conducted an audit of the City's stormwater management program, focusing on the agency's activities in regulating discharges from industrial facilities at the Port of Los Angeles.

The EPA's evaluation of Berth 161, the Construction and Maintenance Yard of the Harbor Department, showed that the City's strategy is paying off, garnering accolades from the EPA in their final audit report released late last year. The EPA noted the City had gone above and beyond the standard Permit requirements.

"The water quality of the Port is of paramount importance to the City and we will be working closely with the Harbor Department to improve our communication and close coordination to make sure that the Ports tenants conduct their businesses in the most eco-friendly manner," says Enrique Zaldivar, Director of the Bureau of Sanitation.

The City's WPD has been conducting self-imposed Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) audits and trainings at Berth 161, which are not required by the Permit.

Coordinating closely with the Harbor Department over the years, WPD has been working to ensure that polluting discharges from Port tenants do not reach the ocean. As a result of these efforts, the EPA has recognized the City as a leader among local governments nationwide for its proactive approach to minimizing urban runoff.