The sasjbep has been working with public works staff from local municipalities in the watershed through a stormwater work group to identify stormwater needs, including infrastructure improvements,…

This $677,554 Cooperative Agreement award from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Marine Debris Program supports a 3-year pilot project to address marine debris pollution in the St. Andrew Sound and St. Joe Bay Estuary Program (SASJBEP) watershed. The project aims to reduce man-made debris, such as single-use plastics and macro-plastics, entering local waterways through a two-pronged approach. First, the project will install up to 60 litter interception devices (Enviropod LittaTrap) in high-debris catch basins across the partner municipalities of Lynn Haven, Panama City, Panama City Beach, and Parker. Second, the project will develop and implement a public awareness and education campaign focused on reducing marine debris, including creating social media and print materials translated into Spanish. The project will also engage local high school students and citizens in quarterly cleanup events. This award will help support long-term debris reduction in the watershed and protect local waterways.

The sasjbep has been working with public works staff from local municipalities in the watershed through a stormwater work group to identify stormwater needs, including infrastructure improvements, regional stormwater wetlands and data gaps, which includes increasing debris removal technologies, such as litter traps, and stormwater education and awareness. As a result, partnering municipalities are committed to deploying cost effective debris removal technologies to protect stormwater systems and local waterways in addition to supporting awareness campaigns. Partnering municipalities have identified a need to target actions including keeping stormwater drains clean of man-made debris, and raising awareness that stormwater drains to nearby waterways. The sasjbep will work with partnering municipalities (lynn haven, panama city, panama city beach, and parker) through this pilot project to install littatraps and develop and implement a prevention strategy over a three-year project period. The sasjbep will take a two-pronged approach to address man-made debris by 1) integrating litter trap interception technologies and 2) developing an awareness and education campaign focused on reducing marine debris pollution targeting man-made debris including single use plastics and other small macro-plastics. One proven technology to reduce debris with interception technology is through litter traps such as the enviropod littatrap (https://WWW.enviropod.COM/EN-US/products/littatrap), which provides a less expensive way to trap debris in stormwater prior to entering nearby waterbodies. The sasjbep will work with the cities of lynn haven, panama city, panama city beach and parker to deploy up to 60 enviropod littatraps in catch basins experiencing high man-made debris loads. Sasjbep will work with each municipality to sort through littatrap contents and document contents using the international trash trap network simple waste characterization protocol and deep dive analysis (https://oceanconservancy.ORG/trash-free-seas/international-coastal-cleanup/trash-trap-network/). The simple waste characterization protocol will be used monthly with deep dive analysis occurring 5-10 times/year over the project period. A complimentary prevention strategy will include stormwater drain marking and murals, creation of social media and print materials, and opportunities for local high school students and citizens to participate in quarterly cleanup events in partnering cities. Materials produced will be translated into spanish which is the dominant secondary language. Social media and print material templates will be shared with municipalities throughout the watershed to enhance pairing installation of littatraps with a debris prevention strategy will help ensure long-term reduction in debris entering stormwater systems and the BAY.