ST. PAUL, Minn. ?EUR??,,????'??+ The Erosion Control Technology Council (ECTC) will offer two new courses and sediment control information to all U.S. and Canadian Departments of Transportation now facing regulatory demands. According to the ECTC, the group?EUR??,,????'???s mission is to provide the departments with the most up-to-date information on rolled erosion control products to help them cost effectively comply with NPDES Phase II. In 1972, the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System program was established under the authority of the Clean Water Act. Phase I of the NPDES stormwater program was established in 1990. It required NPDES permit coverage for large or medium municipalities that had populations of 100,000 or more. Phase II of the NPDES Stormwater program was signed into law in December 1999. This regulation builds upon the existing Phase I program by requiring smaller communities, also known as small municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s), to be permitted. ECTC has developed a two-hour introductory seminar and a full-day course. The two-hour course is free to all transportation departments. It is a general course that will walk attendees through the basics of designing, installing and specifying erosion control products. The full-day course will be taught by Jerald S. Fifield, Ph.D. Topics will include regulations, structural and nonstructural measures, selection, design, installation and inspection of RECPS. For more information on the courses, contact ECTC Executive Director Laurie Honnigford at 651-554-1895.