The Minnesota Department of Transportation is seeking public comments through Nov. 30 on its Municipal Separate Storm Sewer program in Greater Minnesota.

Feedback gathered during the public comment period will be reviewed and considered for possible amendments to the storm-water pollution prevention program.

The program, known as MS4, helps reduce the amount of sediment and other pollution (e.g., oil, grease, nutrients, salt and pet waste) from entering Minnesota water-bodies through storm sewer systems. Storm-water is rainfall or melted snow that runs off and is often routed to impervious surfaces, such as roadways, rooftops, sidewalks and parking lots. These hard surfaces prevent the storm-water from naturally soaking into the ground where the soil would filter out pollutants. As it flows, storm-water picks up pollutants from these surfaces.

MnDOT’s Storm Water Pollution Prevention Program covers six minimum control measures:

• Public education and outreach;

• Public participation/involvement;

• Illicit discharge detection and elimination;

• Construction site runoff control;

• Post-construction site runoff control;

• Pollution prevention/good housekeeping.

One of MnDOT’s MS4 permits covers Greater Minnesota, including Duluth, East Grand Forks, Elk River, La Crescent, Mankato, Moorhead, Rochester, St. Cloud and St. Michael.

Comment on MnDOT’s MS4 program at www.mndot.gov/environment/ms4/meeting.html.

For more information on MnDOT’s storm-water pollution prevention programs, go to www.mndot.gov/environment/ms4/index.html.