A proposal to require cities to regulate discharges from recreational vehicles (RVs) being used as housing on public streets and parking lots is scheduled for a hearing on Monday.

HB 2507, sponsored by Rep. Morgan Irwin (R–Enumclaw), adds new requirements to the municipal stormwater permit to address illicit discharges from RVs that are causing water quality problems.

The bill:

• Requires cities covered by the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) stormwater permits to establish a program to identify and report to the Department of Ecology (Ecology) locations where illicit discharges by people living in RVs are causing water quality problems.
• Authorizes cities to prohibit overnight parking of RVs or other vehicles that contain large concentrations of wastewater.
• Authorizes cities to conduct outreach to people living in RVs in sensitive areas.
• Requires the City of Seattle to make information available as to where disposal of wastewater can be done legally.
• Authorizes the State Patrol to enforce on polluting vehicles.
• Allows city stormwater fees to be spent on these purposes.
• Directs Ecology to study the issue.

Please let us know if any of these provisions would be helpful to your city. We would also appreciate feedback on the mandate to develop an element of your stormwater programs that addresses these issues.

Dates to remember

HB 2507 is scheduled for public hearing in the House Environment & Energy Committee at 1:30 pm on Monday, January 20.