Funding Green Infrastructure Solutions: Stormwater Management in Pennsylvania

1
Funding Green Infrastructure SolutionsStormwater
Management in Pennsylvania
Prepared for Bailing Out Stormwater October
2009 Villanova University Pennsylvania
Stormwater Management Symposium
Liz Garland American Rivers

• RECOMMENDATIONS
• Foster a symbiotic relationship amongst
  stormwater management planning, regulation,
  guidance and funding institutions.
• Promote low impact development solutions within
  Pennsylvanias Stormwater Best Management
  Practices Manual for use by municipalities
  guiding economic growth.
• Adopt green infrastructure as the practicable
  standard in urban stormwater permits by enabling
  municipal leaders and, in turn, engaging
  citizens.
• Prioritize projects that lead with natural
  infrastructure stormwater management by
  distributing funding to new partners and
  encouraging innovative approaches from
  traditional partners.
• Explore the value of green infrastructure and
  develop a diversity of funding solutions.
• Following Task Force discovery
• assess needs and resources fully, include
  stormwater management at pipe and at source,
• seek funding sources from an array of sources
  federal, state and local incentives, fees and
  taxes,
• permit right sizing of operations and management
  for multi-municipality functioning for stormwater
  management.
• Weigh green infrastructure costs and benefits
  prior to investing in alternative hard structural
  practices.
• Support multi-faceted planning strategies that
  green a municipal or watershed landscape,
  growing benefits.
• Establish investment principles for stormwater
  management with green practices guiding funders
  and applicants toward natural infrastructure.
• Enhance the principle of re-use first with green
  first.

ABSTRACT Across the nation, American Rivers is
promoting a sustainable approach to water
management that integrates built and natural
assets by focusing first on green
infrastructure. Along with an array of planning,
regulatory and technical resources to support
green infrastructure practices, a 21st century
vision is necessary to assure financial resources
reach municipalities responsible for sustainable
stormwater management in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvanias infrastructure needs are
tremendous. Sprawl continues while existing
infrastructure crumbles.  In some urban areas our
water conveyance system is older than 100 years
and treatment systems pre-date World War II. 
Pennsylvanias deteriorating infrastructure
overflows and chronically leaks. The results are
inadequate treatment when coupled with mounting
costs for replacement, repair, upgrade, operation
and maintenance. Unfortunately, resources to
meet water infrastructure needs are dwindling.
Pennsylvanias gap between need and available
resources is approximately 46 billion over the
next 20 years for wastewater treatment and
drinking water delivery alone. The 2008
Sustainable Water Infrastructure Task Force
report recommends reducing costs by maximizing
innovative solutions such as green infrastructure
practices for stormwater management. Yet,
Pennsylvania is still challenged to overcome
historical patterns of funding water management
that prioritized wastewater treatment and
drinking water delivery over stormwater
management solutions. American Rivers
recommends investing in green infrastructure
first while supporting structural water
management needs. Green infrastructure cost
effectively controls runoff volume and velocity,
reducing sewer overflows and minimizing flooding.
Despite the long tradition of funding hard
infrastructure, Pennsylvania will need growing
boldness and investment in green infrastructure
solutions for municipalities to achieve
sustainability. Presented here are new
approaches and recommendations for greener
investments in stormwater management to narrow
the funding gap. This boldness can help
Pennsylvania communities develop water management
systems that make clean water achievable today
and offer resilience to the effects of a changing
climate in the future.
DEVELOPING GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE
FOUNDATIONS RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN PENNSYLVANIA
While stormwater burdens the growing funding gap
for water infrastructure, the Chesapeake
Stormwater Network awards Pennsylvania a F
grade for stormwater management funding. No
wonder the state is attempting to fund a
management program with an overall grade of D.
The problem? An MS4 permit that does not fully
embrace Pennsylvanias BMP Manual a planning
process with low compliance and a regulatory
structure that does not encourage better than the
minimum model. The solution? Integrate all
stormwater programs, emphasizing the strongest
and most innovative green infrastructure
practices are cost effective, so too should be
the states stormwater program.

• Whats New in Pennsylvania
• The Philadelphia model. The City unveiled a broad
  plan, Greenworks, with comprehensive vision for
  innovation and followed by assessing and than
  proposing green infrastructure options for
  controlling CSO events.
• PENNVEST stimulates the economy with green. In
  2009, federal funding for the State Revolving
  Fund included a 20 set aside for green
  investment. PENNVEST will assess long-term
  effectiveness and program changes to enable more
  riparian buffers, pervious pavement and natural
  functions.
• The Department of Conservation and Natural
  Resources completes its Greening the Grants
  guidance. Beginning in 2010, applicants for
  agency awarded grants will self assess a
  projects embodiment of green principles.

FOR MORE INFORMATION www.americanrivers.org
[phone] Liz Garland Clean Water Program,
Pennsylvania 355 N. 21st St., Suite 309 Camp
Hill, PA 17011