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Gem Lake News Page 5 of 6 <br /> <br />As <br />highwaySales <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />permit requirements to minimize the discharge of <br />pollutants from the sewer system.” <br />Gem Lake is not alone in the mandatory reporting <br />requirement. Across the Twin Cities metro area are <br />dozens of MS4 entities, part of a network of thousands <br />of similar MS4’s across the country. Just think, that’s a <br />lot of report filing and public hearings. Gem Lake’s <br />most recent public hearing drew exactly 0 residents <br />from the community who came specifically to attend <br />the public hearing. How many interested parties <br />across the nation who look forward to these annual <br />events is anybody’s guess. <br />Permit Issued for Archery Deer <br />Hunting Within City <br />The Gem Lake City Council issued an archery deer <br />hunting permit to Anthony Scornavacco and Mike <br />Garrett to take place on their property on the south <br />side of Gem Lake.Deer hunting permits have been <br />granted to this property for the past three years, where <br />successful and safe hunts have taken place and have <br />helped to reduce the city’s large deer population. <br />This year’s hunt will take place September 24-26, <br />October 22-24 and November 12-14 during daylight <br />hours. Neighbors have been notified and have agreed <br />to the hunt. The council has reviewed and approved <br />deer stand locations and has verified the credentials <br />and licenses of each person who will participate in the <br />hunt. <br />Permit Required for Rental <br />Properties in City <br />If you are renting out your house in Gem Lake you <br />need a rental license. If you own rental property but <br />are not currently renting it, you still need to fill out a <br />rental license application to keep the City updated. <br />The application process is easy. Fill out our form <br />located on our website, which can be found under <br />“Permits” or contact Melissa Lawrence, City Clerk, pay <br />a permit fee (if you are actively renting), and go <br />through a brief inspection of the property by our code <br />enforcement officer. We check for things like smoke <br />detectors. Call 651-747-2790 to find out more. <br />A public hearing was held on September 21 on <br />Gem Lake’s annual MS4 report, which is a <br />mandatory document required by state law, <br />covering stormwater flow within city borders. At <br />the public hearing Emily Jennings of SEH <br />presented an overview of our stormwater <br />situation and anything that would have impacted <br />it in the previous year. The report is on file at <br />Heritage Hall and is available to anyone who <br />wants to read more about it. <br />Several years ago, Council member Jim Lindner <br />wrote an article on why this even matters to our <br />daily lives. It is excerpted below so you can read <br />more about it. <br />What is an MS4 and what does it mean to be <br />compliant? MS4 stands for “Municipal Separate <br />Storm Sewer System” shortened to the “M” and <br />four “S’s” for a catchy acronym that is all about <br />managing runoff from storm events. An MS4 is a <br />government entity such as a city, county, or other <br />governmental entity, that is charged with the <br />responsibility of preventing the spread of <br />pollution. MS4 falls under the direction of another <br />acronym NPDES, the National Pollutant <br />Discharge Elimination System. NPDES traces its <br />origins to the 1992 Clean Water Act that was <br />designed to protect the nation’s water supply. <br />MS4 falls under the direction of another acronym <br />NPDES, the National Pollutant Discharge <br />Elimination System. NPDES traces its origins to <br />the 1992 Clean Water Act that was designed to <br />protect the nation’s water supply. When rain falls, <br />it may come in contact with pollutants such as <br />agricultural chemicals, leaked motor oil in a <br />parking lot, or any number of other pollutants. <br />Since stormwater is collected into stormwater <br />drainage systems, this contaminated water is <br />then directly discharged into our rivers and <br />streams, spreading the pollution. The goal of <br />NPDES through permits granted to MS4 <br />agencies per the US Environmental Protection <br />Agency’s website, was to manage stormwater <br />runoff. <br />“To prevent harmful pollutants from being washed <br />or dumped into MS4s, certain operators are <br />required to obtain NPDES permits and develop <br />stormwater management programs (SWMPs). <br />The SWMP describes the stormwater control <br />practices that will be implemented consistent with <br />MS4 Report: What is it and Why it Matters