Final Scope

The federal Clean Water Act mandates that state DOTs adhere to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) stormwater permits, regulating stormwater management during transportation facility construction and post-construction. These permits extend to facilities supporting the transportation network. Training requirements within these permits aim to equip DOT staff and contractors with the necessary knowledge to fulfill permit mandates and educate the public on stormwater runoff impacts.

Despite challenges such as staff dispersion—both geographically and across various job responsibilities—and limited equipment access, especially for field maintenance staff, state DOTs have developed various training delivery methods. These range from posters, flyers, classroom and virtual training to certification programs, as well as radio and television public service announcements. Developing and delivering these programs is resource-intensive, prompting the need for improved efficiency and effectiveness, which this synthesis aims to address for the benefit of state DOTs, AASHTO, and researchers.

The objective of this synthesis is to document current state DOT practices for development and delivering training programs required by NPDES stormwater permits.

Information to be gathered includes (but is not limited to):

• Identification of stormwater permit compliance programs with associated training requirements; 
  Practices for identifying training developers, appropriate trainers, and target audiences;
• Methods used to administer trainings, e.g. in-house vs. external, in person/instructor led, partnerships, on demand virtual, mass media, tailgate talk, and printed materials;
• Outreach methods for communicating training requirements;
• Methods for documenting training participation and events;
• Methods for evaluating and updating the trainings;
• Training practices designed for the public;
• Funding sources for training; and
• Training programs associated with the issuance and maintenance of certifications.  

Information will be gathered through a literature review, a survey of state DOTs, and follow-up interviews with selected DOTs for the development of case examples. Information gaps and suggestions for research to address those gaps will be identified.

Information Sources (Partial): 

• EPA Construction Inspector Training Course: https://www.epa.gov/npdes/construction-inspection-training-course (EPA training resources are sometimes used by state DOTs)
• ACRP 02-61 Airport Stormwater Management Electronic Resource Library (https://crp.trb.org/acrpwebresource3/)
• AASHTO Committee on Knowledge Management: https://transportation.org/km/

TRB Staff
Arefeh Nasri
Phone: 202-334-2763
Email: anasri@nas.edu

Meeting Dates
First Panel Meeting: October 8, 2024, in-person meeting in Washington, DC
Teleconference with Consultant: November 1, 2024, 11 am-12 pm EST, via Zoom
Second Panel Meeting: June 18, 2025, in-person meeting in Washington, DC 

Panel Members
Maria Briones, Massachusetts Department of Transportation
Cindy Dionne, Maine Department of Transportation
William B. Fletcher, Oregon Department of Transportation 
Becky Humphreys, Ohio Department of Transportation
Marni Karnowski, Minnesota Department of Transportation
Arjun KC, Washington State Department of Transportation
Andrew H. McDaniel, North Carolina Department of Transportation
Gregory Granato, FHWA Liaison