SEATTLE, Washington, November 17, 2008 (ENS) – The 2008 International Low Impact Development Conference opened Sunday at the Westin Seattle, sponsored by the Environmental & Water Resources Institute of the American Society of Civil Engineers, ASCE.

In his inaugural address, the new ASCE president D. Wayne Klotz, called on fellow professionals to take more credit for the clean water work they do, Klotz said, “Today, I declare this to be the Year of the Civilization Engineer! To do anything else would diminish our contribution to society.”

“Clean water is essential to sustain life,” said Klotz, thanking the members of his profession. “Civil engineers deliver clean water. We find it, clean it, disinfect it, and deliver it into people’s homes, businesses, industries. When the public finishes with it, we civil engineers pick it up, clean it up, and put it back where we found it. No community of any size would exist without clean water, nor can any strong economy. To those civil engineers who are in the water resources business, you are the sole reason that people can live in a community and maintain their health.”

Low impact development draws its stormwater solutions from the natural world. “LID is a more sustainable land development technique that includes a site design approach to preserve natural resources, terrain, and hydrology, combined with a natural approach to stormwater best management practices that store, infiltrate, evaporate, and detain runoff,” according to the Environmental Business Council of New England, which offers a web page listing LID information resources at: http://www.ebcne.org/index.php?id=266

LID technologies preserve open space, protect conservation vales on-site, ensure adequate groundwater recharge, and reduce runoff pollution. In cities, LID practices can reduce heat island impact, smog, and energy use, and lessen the cost of new and repair of existing combined sewage overflow stormwater systems.

In the never-ending quest for clean water at low cost, the use of low impact development practices such as pervious pavements, rain gardens, and green roofs is gaining in popularity.
Pervious pavement allows stormwater to soak into the soil. (Photo courtesy USACE)

The new acceptance of these techniques is due to the fact that they can save developers substantial amounts of money while helping protect rivers, lakes and drinking water resources.

Savings are generally due to reduced costs for site grading and preparation, stormwater infrastructure, site paving, and landscaping. Total capital cost savings ranged from 15 to 80 percent when LID methods were used, with a few exceptions in which LID project costs were higher than conventional stormwater management costs, according to a study by the U.S. EPA released in November 2007.

One objective of this conference, which continues through Wednesday, is to inform stormwater managers how to anticipate and address obstacles to implementation of these techniques.

Another goal is to accelerate change in the practice of stormwater management, including an information exchange to refine design processes, review procedures and construction standards related to LID technologies, conference organizers say.

A number of national and regional LID conferences have been held in the United States, and another is coming up December 3 and 4 at the Grappone Conference Center in Concord, New Hampshire. Unlike most professional conferences, this one is open to the public.

National experts will convene in Concord to present the latest methods for developing land in ways that allow stormwater to be retained, infiltrated, or reused on site.

Workshops on low impact development design and case studies of successful low impact development projects in northern New England will be presented.

“EPA has looked carefully at low impact development, and it’s remarkable that the vast majority of projects are able to save between 15 and 80 percent – while making choices that were better for the environment,” said Robert Varney, regional administrator of the New England office of the EPA, which is a co-sponsor of the Concord conference.

“Low impact development is a way for developers and builders to achieve a competitive edge in the current market, while helping the environment at the same time” said Glynn Rountree, an environmental policy analyst with the National Home Builders Association who will be speaking at the conference.

One such money-saver is pervious pavement that allows stormwater to percolate through the pavement into a filter layer below.

Some developers and engineers in northern New England have been hesitant to use such techniques for fear they may not work well in cold climates. This topic is one that will be given significant attention at the conference.

Attendees will hear how this low impact development technique has been used successfully at a number of sites in New England, including at hospitals in New London, New Hampshire and York, Maine, a shopping center in Amherst, New Hampshire, and at a new park ‘n ride lot in Randolph, Vermont.

The University of New Hampshire Stormwater Center has been evaluating the effectiveness of a variety of stormwater practices at a specially designed field site in Durham for the last five years.

“Our findings are indicating that developers and engineers are missing a real opportunity here,” said Dr. Robert Roseen, director of the Stormwater Center. “We are finding that many of the low impact development practices are actually out-performing the conventional systems on a consistent basis, even in the middle of the winter.”

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BIG IDEAS FOR A SMALL PLANET: GROW [www.sundancechannel.com]

Discover three companies that are making it easier for people to grow more things in their home and in their community. Jorg Breuning is a roof garden expert who runs the company Green Roof Services LLC [www.greenroofservice.com] Jorg helps Majora Carter build a roof garden on top of her home in the South Bronx. Having a thin layer of soil on the roof reduces stormwater runoff pollution and also lowers the energy required to heat and cool the building. Perhaps the best perk is the heavenly slice of nature available on your roof.

The second business is really a home business run by Vynnie McDaniels [www.vynniethegardener.com], and he is a xeriscape garden consultant. Xeriscape gardening specializes in designing gardens that are “water wise” or that require small amounts of water to upkeep. It incorporates special selections of plants that do well in hot, arid climates. These gardens are beautiful and different from every day gardens.

Finally, learn about a new, unofficial but very fun holiday called National Parking Day. Initiated by the Trust For Public Land [www.tpl.org], National Parking Day (Every September 21st) happens all over the country and asks people to create small patches of nature in the middle of an urban setting. People unroll sod, pull out a lawn chair and maybe a potted plant, and simply enjoy the day. The idea is to promote the beauty and importance of public parks in cities.

To learn more about the whole BIG IDEAS FOR A SMALL PLANET series, check out THE GREEN [www.sundancechannel.com].

If you are interested in finding the physical locations for some of the BIG IDEAS businesses, check out the marker group [www.sundancechannel.com].

ECOISTS: Don Cheadle [www.sundancechannel.com]

Don Cheadle talks about American supermarkets and how the range and quality of food sold there is so much better than 98% of the world. Don Cheadle wants Americans to take a stronger role in helping the rest of the world eat healthy foods.

ECO BIZ: Green Order [www.sundancechannel.com]

Andrew Schapiro, of Green Order [www.greenorder.com], a New York City consulting firm that helps companies who are looking to green their business. His company has worked with GE, Pfizer and many other large companies including the work they did on the 7 World Trade Center building, which was one of the first Green Certified office buildings to be built in NYC.

It is very good to hear about big companies making green changes to the way they do business. Hopefully this is just the tip of the iceberg for a green revamping of the business world.

OFF THE GRID: LIFE IN THE MESA [www.sundancechannel.com]

Tucked away in the northern New Mexico desert is a community of individuals who have lived outside the society at large. Depicted as unusual, many of the characters in this community are quite colorful in their forms of expression and the way in which they adorn their homes. Take a trip to a different kind of community in this eco-doc.

Thanks again for joining us on THE GREEN Blog. As usual, please make a comment about this post or if any ideas spring to mind, consider adding your thoughts by creating or commenting on an Eco-mmunity Map Marker.

TRENTON, New Jersey, February 18. 2008 (ENS) – A new report from the Department of Environmental Protection, DEP, demonstrates that New Jersey’s municipalities are making progress toward implementing programs that will reduce the impact of pollutants carried into the Garden State’s waterways through stormwater runoff.

The report released last week shows that 532 of New Jersey’s 559 regulated municipalities, or 95 percent, have adopted stormwater management plans that detail how they will address polluted runoff.

A total of 512 municipalities, or 92 percent, have adopted the required stormwater control ordinances that implement the management plans.

“The cumulative impacts of stormwater runoff pollution are profound, accounting for 60 percent of the pollution in New Jersey’s waterways,” said DEP Commissioner Lisa Jackson.

“I commend municipal governments for recognizing the scope of the problem and taking the steps necessary to control the myriad pollutants such as fertilizers, pesticides, animal wastes, automotive fluids, roadside litter and excessive sediments that pose today’s biggest threats to the health of our surface waters,” she said.

In addition to municipalities, New Jersey’s municipal stormwater control program regulates all counties as well as many federal, state, and interstate agencies.

During the three years the program has been in existence, more than 83,000 tons of street sweepings have been collected. Nearly 508,000 sewer catch basins have been inspected and more than 39,000 stormwater outfall pipes have been mapped and inspected.

In addition, more than 291,000 tons of sediments, trash and debris have been retrieved from storm sewers, preventing these materials from entering the state’s waterways, the report shows. Stormwater runoff pollution is ubiquitous and degrades water quality in many ways, yet many people do not realize they are contributing to the problem, said Jackson.

For example, typical lawn fertilizers accelerate algae growth that ultimately reduces oxygen needed by fish and other aquatic life, sedimentation caused by improper construction chokes out aquatic plant habitats, and trash thrown onto roadways gets carried through storm drains into creeks and rivers.

Many of these problems can be addressed through public education, simple lifestyle changes, and changes to local zoning requirements, said Jackson.

The report shows that most municipalities have adopted pet waste, litter, wildlife-feeding and yard waste ordinances.

Most municipalities have distributed educational brochures to their residents and have held community outreach programs.

Since the DEP launched the municipal stormwater regulation program in April 2004, the department has conducted 1,347 compliance inspections designed to assist the regulated entities.

The DEP has also issued a total of $669,000 in penalties for various breaches of municipal permit conditions, including 48 penalty assessments totaling $524,000 in 2007.

The agency assesses penalties when municipalities or other entities fail to meet certain conditions such as cleaning of catch basins and sweeping of streets, submission of required reports, and adoption of specific ordinances that carry out the aims of the program.

For a copy of the report, detailed information on compliance, and enforcement information, go to: www.njstormwater.org

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LOS ANGELES, California, January 23, 2008 (ENS) – Millions of gallons of polluted stormwater that runs off state highways each year will be kept out of Southern California waters and off the region’s beaches after two environmental groups and the California Department of Transportation came to an agreement in federal court on Friday.

The state agency, known as Caltrans, will reduce runoff from 1,000 miles of highway across Los Angeles and Ventura counties under the agreement with the Natural Resources Defense Council, NRDC, and Santa Monica Baykeeper.

“Highways are the backbone of Southern California’s economy, but they are also a major source of toxic pollution in our waterways,” said David Beckman, director of NRDC’s Coastal Water Quality Project and lead attorney for the plaintiff groups.

“Every rainstorm sends a toxic soup of oil, grease, lead and other dangerous ingredients that accumulate on our roads, rushing into Santa Monica Bay. This agreement means cleaner water and safer beaches for everyone in the region,” Beckman said.

Runoff from highways pollutes
California waters. (Photo
courtesy Caltrans)

Under the agreement Caltrans, which operates the largest freeway system in the country, will reduce runoff pollution from its freeways in Los Angeles and Ventura counties by 20 percent compared to 1994 levels.

Caltrans will examine 1,000 miles of freeway corridors in the region, completing pollution reduction blueprints for each corridor by 2011.

When fully implemented, the new measures are expected to keep more than millions of pounds of pollution out of area waters every year. Toxic metals like lead and zinc will be reduced by almost 24,000 pounds per year, the NRDC says.

When it rains currently, the stormwater drains off quickly, but the runoff is not filtered, so toxic metals, oil, grease and other contaminants on the pavement are carried into the region’s waters and eventually to the ocean.

In an average year, the California Environmental Protection Agency says, more than six million gallons of oil run into California’s waters from roads and sidewalks.

Tests of some Caltrans drains have revealed contamination that qualifies as hazardous waste.

“Contaminated runoff from freeways is the largest and most polluted part of overall stormwater runoff,” says Beckman.

Approved by U.S. District Judge Edward Rafeedie, the new stormwater agreement replaces an April 2004 settlement with the two environmental groups reached after more than 10 years in court.

That settlement provided for Caltrans to install stormwater filtering systems when building or repairing highways.

NRDC and BayKeeper realized in 2006 that Caltrans was having trouble complying with the 2004 court settlement and began talks to get the stormwater cleaned up without a contempt of court citation against Caltrans.

Under the new settlement, Caltrans will start cleaning up the runoff using a variety of innovative solutions to capture the mess before it reaches the beach.

Cleanup options include sand traps, catch basins and new porous pavement surfaces that catch polluted runoff and absorb the contaminants.

Such methods have been tested in studies jointly administered by Caltrans and NRDC, and have been shown to be effective.

The agreement by the state to embrace these best management practices on new highways as well as existing ones is a first, and has the potential to become a national model.

“Polluted runoff is the number one water pollution problem in America,” said Beckman. “Caltrans deserves credit for blazing a pathway that other agencies and cities should now follow.”

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