Developing Sustainable Stormwater Programs Using Sustainable Financing Options

摘要

ObjectivernAlthough not a new concept the development of dedicated stormwater fees is gaining inrnpopularity with municipalities as the most viable option to fund the increased stormwaterrndemands that are facing them. At the same time if one were to ask a property owner if theyrnwanted to start paying more for stormwater management the answer would most likely be “no”.rnDespite what seems like a disparity more and more municipalities are successfully developingrnstormwater programs that meet the needs of their citizens and the regulations and that are fundedrnin a way that is sustainable ensuring that the programs are implemented. This presentationrnoutlines the process of how to develop an appropriate stormwater program and gain support forrnsustainable financing.rnMethodrnTo date there are over 1200 municipalities with stormwater fees, often called stormwaterrnutilities, around the country. However, these fees are relatively new to the Northeast and Mid-rnAtlantic region. This is rapidly changing and in the past few years there has been an increase ofrnexamples in VA, MD, PA, DE and VT and there are municipalities throughout New England thatrnare now is various stages of exploring their options or implementation. Using these examples tornpull from what works and just as importantly what did not the author discusses how communitiesrncan develop an appropriate stormwater program to meet a diverse set of community needs andrnidentify the funding options that are right for them, including the development of dedicatedrnstormwater fees, that will be accepted by the landowners and stakeholders and meet therncommunity’s needs.rnConclusionsrnIn developing sustainable stormwater programs and sustainable stormwater fees it is not as muchrnthe technical mechanics of calculating costs and fees; but rather the process of how thernstormwater program’s elements and services are identified and support garnered. Thisrnpresentation focuses on how developing the right stormwater program and developing thernsustainable financing needed to fund it is more about politics, policy, and perception than it isrnengineering.