May 16, 2007—The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently signed a statement of intent with four environmental organizations to promote the use of “green infrastructure” approaches, such as rain-catching roofs and gardens, to lessen sewer overflows and runoff after storms.
The statement formalizes a collaborative effort among EPA, the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA), the Association of States and Interstate Water Pollution Control Administrators (ASIWPCA), the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), and the Low Impact Development (LID) Center to assist state, city, and local governments in implementing and evaluating innovative and effective green infrastructure approaches.
Through green infrastructure techniques, stormwater and its pollutants are managed using natural systems to help absorb, infiltrate, evaporate, or reuse excess stormwater instead of using traditional infrastructure that collects, stores, and transports water through large, buried sewer systems, explains EPA.
A variety of initiatives are included in the statement of intent. EPA and its partners plan to offer technical assistance, training, and outreach to potential users of green infrastructure, including states, cities, counties, utilities, environmental and public health agencies, engineers, architects, landscape architects, planners, and nongovernmental organizations.
The creation of a Web-based green infrastructure resource center will assist communities in complying with requirements for combined sewer overflows and municipal stormwater permits. EPA also seeks to recognize the most effective and innovative uses of green infrastructure through awards and recognition programs to meet the Clean Water Act goals while making models of green infrastructure techniques available nationwide.
For more information visit EPA’s Green Infrastructure Web page.
