 It's an extremely important and critical opportunity for the public to weigh in on these permits. Allison Colden, executive director of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, tells WTOP stormwater runoff permits help to manage the stormwater runoff that travels over land, causing flooding and pollution in the Chesapeake Bay. Water that runs over the land, over impervious surfaces like sidewalks and roads, has the opportunity to carry a tremendous amount of pollution, nitrogen, phosphorus, and other contaminants