Wet Weather Team Stakeholder Group

MSD’s Federal Consent Decree calls for the formation of a multi-disciplinary “Wet Weather Team” to address engineering, economic, environmental, and institutional issues that will be raised during implementation of the remedial actions required. MSD formed the Wet Weather Team shortly after approval of the Consent Decree, including key MSD staff, outside consultants, and a 20-person Stakeholder Group made up of community leaders including elected officials, Metro Government department heads, organized labor, education, public health, environmental and neighborhood interests.

This Wet Weather Team played a key role in guiding development of the IOAP’s project evaluation and prioritization decision process. The Wet Weather Team Stakeholder Group identified key “community values” that the IOAP needed to address, including factors such as:

• Regulatory compliance
• Protection of public health
• Protection of property
• Protection of the environment
• Eco-friendly mitigation approaches

The Wet Weather Team Stakeholder Group incorporated consideration of eleven community values into an innovative decision support process that allowed a rational comparison of highly diverse factors in a rigorous benefit/cost evaluation. This approach to making decisions and documenting decision criteria led to a comprehensive suite of overflow abatement projects that received the unanimous support of the entire Wet Weather Team.

Regulatory reviewers cited the Wet Weather Team Stakeholder Group approach, and specifically the valuable input and direction provided by the Stakeholder Group, as a key factor in their decision to approve the IOAP with only minor comments.