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Water Quality Scorecard:

Discover the EPA's Water Quality Scorecard, an auditing tool that assesses local ordinances and guides municipal staff in adapting policies for green infrastructure practices at municipal, neighborhood, and site scales. Learn about motivations, obstacles, benefits, policies, strategies, and tactics, as well as how to engage representatives from various departments and implement green infrastructure effectively.

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Water Quality Scorecard:

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  1. Water Quality Scorecard: Incorporating Green Infrastructure Practices at the Municipal, Neighborhood, and Site Scales

  2. Overview • What is the Water Quality Scorecard? • Why was the Scorecard developed? • How can you use the Scorecard? • What’s next for the Scorecard? • Additional resources

  3. What is the Scorecard? • An auditing tool to • Assess local ordinances, codes, plans, and programs through the lens of water quality management • Guide municipal staff in adapting diverse policies and programs to consistently support green infrastructure

  4. What is the Scorecard? • A resource containing • References • Case studies

  5. What is the Scorecard? • Released October, 2009 • Developed by EPA’s Smart Growth Program and EPA’s Office of Water with more than 11 external reviewers

  6. Motivation • Developed land uses are growing • Impact of population growth exacerbated by large lot development • Developed portion of land base expected to grow from 5.2% in 1997 to 9.2% in 2025

  7. Motivation • When water quality objectives are not broadly integrated into the management of urban design and urban form, the consequences include: • Increased volumes and rates of runoff • Increased flooding • Increased pollutant loads • Erosion of natural channels • Degradation of habitat

  8. Motivation • In 2009, beach closings and advisories exceeded 18,000 for the fifth consecutive year • Stormwater runoff contributed to ~80% of closings with a reported contamination source

  9. Motivation • According to the 2004 National Water Quality Inventory: • 44% of assessed rivers and streams impaired • 64% assessed lakes impaired • 30% assessed estuaries impaired • Agriculture and hydromodification are top sources of impairment for rivers and streams

  10. Green Infrastructure • Green Infrastructure addresses the water quality impacts of development by promoting four principles: • Preserve • Recycle • Reduce • Reuse

  11. Preserve • Preserve large, continuous areas of open space • Preserve sensitive ecological areas

  12. Recycle • Direct development to already degraded lands

  13. Reduce Imperviousness(at the watershed scale!) Higher Density Low Density

  14. Green Infrastructure and Smart Growth Smart Growth Principles • Increased Density • Transit and Pedestrian Accessibility • Infill and Brownfield Development • Bridging Institutional Barriers

  15. Reuse(and infiltrate and evapotranspire!)

  16. Benefits of Green Infrastructure • Reduces urban heat island effect • Reduces energy demand • Improves air quality • Provides recreational space • Provides walkable streets • Increases land values • And more…

  17. Obstacles to Green Infrastructure • Green Infrastructure requires coordination across multiple municipal departments • Green Infrastructure requires coordination across multiple spatial scales • Municipal • Neighborhood • Site

  18. EPA’s Water Quality Scorecard • Provides framework for engaging representatives from multiple departments • Identifies drivers of impervious cover at regional, neighborhood, site scales

  19. Scorecard Map 4 Tactics 5 Strategies 22 Policy Clusters 230 Policies, Codes, and Incentives

  20. Protect Natural Resources and Open Space Promote Compact Development and Infill Design Complete, Smart Streets that Reduce Imperviousness Encourage Efficient Parking Supply Encourage Green Infrastructure On Site 5 Strategies

  21. 1. Policies to Protect Natural Resources and Open Space • Natural Resource Protection • Open Space Protection • Tree Protection

  22. 2. Policies to Promote Compact Development and Infill • Support Infill and Redevelopment • Direct Development to Existing Infrastructure • Encourage Mixed-Use Development

  23. 3. Policies to Create Complete, Smart Streets • Street Design • Context sensitive solutions • Narrow streets • Driveway location/design • Green Infrastructure Designs • Standards and Design Criteria • Construction • Maintenance

  24. 4. Policies to Encourage Efficient Parking Supply • Reduce Parking Requirements • Transportation Demand Management • Minimize Stormwater from Parking Lots

  25. 5. Policies to Encourage Green Infrastructure On Site • Green Infrastructure Practices • Allowed for residential management • Required for new developments • Maintenance and Enforcement • Monitoring, tracking and maintenance protocols

  26. 4 Tactics • Adopt Plans • Remove Barriers • Create Incentives • Enact Regulations

  27. How to Use the Scorecard • Recommended partners include representatives from the departments of: • Parks and Recreation • Public Works • Planning • Environmental Protection • Utilities • Transportation

  28. How to Use the Scorecard • Recommended documents for review include: • Zoning ordinances • Subdivision codes • Street standards or road design guidelines • Parking requirements • Setbacks • Open space or natural resource plans • Comprehensive plans

  29. Example QUESTION: Do local building and plumbing codes allow harvested rainwater for exterior uses? GOAL: Ensure that the municipality allows and encourages stormwater reuse for non-potable uses. WHY: Stormwater reuse is important for dense, urban areas with limited space. Answers based on online research and interview with Vince Esposito, Superintendent of Sewers and Streams

  30. Example 1 Guidance provided through New York State Stormwater Design Manual and Onondaga County Save the Rain program

  31. Example 1 Code does not prohibit reuse of stormwater for exterior uses.

  32. Example 1 ? 0 City in process of revising ordinance with County to encourage green infrastructure. City does not charge stormwater utility fee

  33. Example 0 No requirement, but may not be appropriate for Syracuse

  34. What’s Next for the Scorecard? • Scorecard has already been piloted in Lenexa, Kansas and used in many communities • EPA has just begun collecting feedback • EPA’s Office of Sustainable Communities is about to announce 4 communities selected for technical assistance

  35. Additional Resources • EPA Green Infrastructure website • EPA Smart Growth website • Interagency Partnership for Sustainable Communities website • Initiatives such as Recovery Through Retrofitting, Green and Healthy Homes, and Urban Waters

  36. Design Guidebooks Inspirationthat allows designers, developers, and city staff to learn about a variety of green street and parking lot projects already built. Education that gives the user an understanding of both the generaland technicalissues associated with design, construction, as well as the long-term care of sustainable stormwater projects. 36

  37. Green Streets Guide • Describes green approaches for: • Residential Streets • Commercial Streets • Arterial Streets • Alleys • Includes concept designs • Discusses functions and applications 37

  38. Municipal Handbooks Series of guidance documents to help local officials implement green infrastructure in their communities. Chapters released as completed, including: • Rainwater Harvesting Policies • Green Streets • Funding Options • Retrofit Policies • Municipal Incentives

  39. Tamara Mittmanmittman.tamara@epa.gov202- 564-1093 http://picasaweb.google.com/buildgreeninfrastructure

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