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EPA settlement mandates street sweeping in KCMO

Program cut from budget this year
Posted at 10:20 PM, May 06, 2019
and last updated 2019-05-07 14:11:04-04

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Street sweeping was swept away from the budget this fiscal year, but 41 Action News learned a federal court settlement actually prevents the city from eliminating the program.

In 2010, the city settled a case with the Environmental Protection Agency over Clean Water Act violations. A consent decreecalls for street sweeping "at least two times annually on all streets" in the combined sewer system.

"The city is obligated to meet the requirements in the consent decree, including street sweeping twice a year. The EPA continues monitoring for compliance," an EPA official told 41 Action News.

News of KCMO cutting the program came as a surprise to Jill Erickson, Executive Director of the Heartland Conservation Alliance.

"What's on the ground ends up in our rivers, and we have to try and keep those pollutants and that trash and debris out," she said.

41 Action News went back to the city for answers.

"Yes, the city is aware street sweeping is in our consent decree," Andy Shively, KCMO special assistant city manager, said,

Shively and his team, who oversee the Smart Sewer program, plan to present funding solutions to city council within the next month.

"I don't think we've hurt ourselves yet, and we plan to move on this quickly," Shively said.

In the meantime, crews continue to clean catch basins, where most debris ends up before going down the drain.

The clock is ticking, with a year left for the city to comply with the consent decree or face consequences.

"We have a long history of meeting the compliance with our federal consent decree in Kansas City. We have no intentions of changing that track record," Shively said.

He hopes to have the program back up and running by June.

The city says staff members continue to meet with the EPA to discuss the consent decree and associated costs.