FAIRHOPE, Ala. — An expert in Best Management Practices and stormwater management technology is the featured speaker at today’s meeting of the Fairhope Environmental Advisory Board.

“After the problems at Rock Creek and the Publix construction site, we started looking at BMP regulations in Fairhope,” said Jim Horner, FEAB chairman. “We thought the rules might need improvement but decided to do some research and consult experts first to see if that was so.”

Horner said the name of Skip Ragsdale, president of Sunshine Supplies, kept coming up as they researched the issue.

“He seemed to be very knowledgeable,” Horner said. “His company sells products that go into BMP management. He holds a lot of seminars and forums for contractors. He’s referred to as ‘Mr. BMP.’”

The citizen advisory group has identified stormwater runoff from construction sites into local waterways as one of the major environmental issues in the area, Horner said.

Recent episodes at two construction sites on U.S. 98 have demonstrated some aspects of the problem.

Last month, the Alabama Department of Environmental Management issued a notice of violation to the builder of BancorpSouth at the entrance to the Rock Creek subdivision for runoff into that creek after a storm.

And runoff into Fly Creek from the Publix supermarket construction site on Parker Road and U.S. 98 resulted in a stop order from the city until changes were made in stormwater controls.

“What most people are aware of is the impact of erosion,” Ragsdale said Monday. “There are affordable products that can be used that will reduce that impact considerably. It doesn’t have to be expensive. They can typically save some money. I always try and tell people if they will consult a professional at the beginning, they can typically save some money.”

Ragsdale’s Birmingham company has provided “erosion and sediment control solutions to Alabama and the Florida panhandle since 1988,” according to the company Web site.

“BMP is on the front lines of the defense to control siltation and runoff into creeks and other waterways,” Horner said.

“Those are the control systems used in construction sites that if not designed right or properly adhered to can result in problems like we’ve seen here recently.”

The Fairhope Environmental Advisory Board meets the second Wednesday of every month at 9 a.m. in the conference room at City Hall.