The STEPP program has officially launched and is now taking applications for trash capture technologies. Please download the STEPP application document (see below) and email to Seth Brown, STEPP Director, at seth.brown@nationalstormwateralliance.org. See associated STEPP documents below as well:
By leading the development of performance testing procedures and standards, providing technical review and oversight of testing/evaluation performed using these standards, and developing and disseminating contextual information on the results of these evaluations to state regulators and local NPDES (MS4, etc.) permit holders, the STEPP program seeks to raise the level of performance for stormwater programs overall.
The terms “verification” and “certification” are used throughout this document, and they may seem interchangeable, but there are significant differences between these terms. The European Union Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) program defines “verification” as, “the process of independently validating performance claims put forward by the owner of the technology”. This same entity defines “certification” as a process that, “confirms whether products meet specified standards normally established by independent organizations.”
The EU ETV definitions are applicable for the STEPP program as STEPP will coordinate the development of robust performance testing standards and provide a system to verify testing performed using these standards. However, STEPP will not certify products or practices, as this is left to states, jurisdictions and other entities who establish regulatory performance standards for regulated stormwater programs.
Outputs of verification services, in the form of Verification Letters, will clearly state what level of treatment to which the product of practice is verified. For instance, if a product or practice has been shown to effectively reduce 80% of TSS under specified flows and particle size distributions (PSDs), the Verification Letter will state that this technology is “STEPP Verified to 80% TSS Removal”. State or jurisdictions are free to utilize this verification information to interpret as they wish in the context of their own performance standards.
A fundamental principle of the STEPP program is that all stormwater infrastructure should be evaluated in a consistent, credible and robust manner to better understand the performance of stormwater control measures regardless of if they are proprietary in nature or a public-domain practice. Stemming from this principle, STEPP will provide testing and verification services to any and all SCMs. Currently, STEPP is limited to testing trash/debris capture technologies, which is a category of proprietary SCMs. Future and ongoing efforts will broaden the scope of STEPP to include additional proprietary products as well as public domain practices.
The STEPP program exclusively relies on ASTM standards as the technical basis for performance testing of SCMs. The basis for this reliance is due to the broad reach of acceptance of ASTM standards across the U.S. and beyond. Additionally, ASTM standards are used regularly by engineers and scientists in public works departments and within stormwater programs to enumerate methods for construction, assessments, and other technical activities led by stormwater professionals. ASTM E64 Committee on Stormwater Control Measures is the primary body within ASTM that is the technical bridge to STEPP, however other ASTM committees are pertinent in the context of STEPP, such as C27.70 Subcommittee on Precast Concrete Products for Stormwater Management and E60 Committee on Sustainability.
Catalyzing the established E64, a new ASTM committee focused wholly on stormwater infrastructure.
Facilitating the completion of ASTM lab testing standard for trash capture technologies.
Making significant progress in developing ASTM lab testing standards for HDS and filters.
Engaging directly with all 50 states and multiple EPA offices to promote the STEPP program.
Illustrating the overwhelming support for STEPP from states and MS4s through sector survey.
These standards will enable the expansion of STEPP verification services to support the evaluation of stormwater technologies targeting TSS removal in urban runoff. We will be continuing the development of field-testing standards within ASTM E64 as well as developing internal policies to facilitate verification services based upon field performance testing.