The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced in late April a new project involving the reduction of storm-water runoff that will be used in cities and towns across the United States to promote a “green infrastructure” in our nation.
The project promotes green by treating rainfall where it lands and thus keeping polluted rain from entering storm-water drains and eventually entering our streams, rivers, coastal waters, and even our city water supplies. Additionally, uncontrolled water runoff from rain can contribute to downstream flooding, which plagues many Americans during flooding season.
The EPA has vast plans regarding the challenges polluted rainwater brings to our nation’s water supply. Essentially, the polluted rainwater will be captured and held on-site by certain soils. The material then slowly filters out the pollutants leaving only clean water to enter our water systems.
The EPA hopes that with the initiative economic growth, job creation, energy savings, as well as neighborhood revitalization, and additional recreational spaces will be created.
“Through this agenda, we’ll help cities and towns across the nation clean up their waters and strengthen their communities by supporting and expanding green infrastructure. Green infrastructure changes improve the health of our waters while creating local jobs, saving communities money, and making them healthier and more prosperous places to raise a family, and start a business,” said Deputy Administrator Bob Perciasepe, in an EPA press release.
More environmental green tools include green roofs for buildings, other types of permeable materials (other than soils), more environmentally sound designs for buildings and streets, planting trees, rain gardens, and rain harvesting systems.
In addition to the health and economic benefits of this infrastructure project, energy savings will be another benefit to be reaped. Buildings that have green roofs (soil and vegetation on theirs roofs) can reduce heating and cooling costs by up to 15 percent due to additional insulation from the above soil and foliage. Additional trees and other large vegetation can save energy in houses and buildings by reducing wind that carries away hot and cool air (depending on the season) and provide shading on those hot summer days when air conditioning costs skyrocket.
The EPA will spearhead the broad project with 10 cities that already have a green infrastructure in place, to some degree. From there, these cities will be used as templates for other towns, villages, and cities across the United States. The first 10 cities will be: Austin, Texas; Boston, Mass.; Cleveland, Ohio; Denver, Colo.; Jacksonville, Fla.; Kansas City, Mo.; Los Angeles, Calif.; Puyallup, Wash.; Syracuse, N.Y.; and Washington, D.C.
The EPA will also be working with other federal agencies as well as state and local governments and even many Native American tribes and private sector companies to promote this project.
The project promotes green by treating rainfall where it lands and thus keeping polluted rain from entering storm-water drains and eventually entering our streams, rivers, coastal waters, and even our city water supplies. Additionally, uncontrolled water runoff from rain can contribute to downstream flooding, which plagues many Americans during flooding season.
The EPA has vast plans regarding the challenges polluted rainwater brings to our nation’s water supply. Essentially, the polluted rainwater will be captured and held on-site by certain soils. The material then slowly filters out the pollutants leaving only clean water to enter our water systems.
The EPA hopes that with the initiative economic growth, job creation, energy savings, as well as neighborhood revitalization, and additional recreational spaces will be created.
“Through this agenda, we’ll help cities and towns across the nation clean up their waters and strengthen their communities by supporting and expanding green infrastructure. Green infrastructure changes improve the health of our waters while creating local jobs, saving communities money, and making them healthier and more prosperous places to raise a family, and start a business,” said Deputy Administrator Bob Perciasepe, in an EPA press release.
More environmental green tools include green roofs for buildings, other types of permeable materials (other than soils), more environmentally sound designs for buildings and streets, planting trees, rain gardens, and rain harvesting systems.
In addition to the health and economic benefits of this infrastructure project, energy savings will be another benefit to be reaped. Buildings that have green roofs (soil and vegetation on theirs roofs) can reduce heating and cooling costs by up to 15 percent due to additional insulation from the above soil and foliage. Additional trees and other large vegetation can save energy in houses and buildings by reducing wind that carries away hot and cool air (depending on the season) and provide shading on those hot summer days when air conditioning costs skyrocket.
The EPA will spearhead the broad project with 10 cities that already have a green infrastructure in place, to some degree. From there, these cities will be used as templates for other towns, villages, and cities across the United States. The first 10 cities will be: Austin, Texas; Boston, Mass.; Cleveland, Ohio; Denver, Colo.; Jacksonville, Fla.; Kansas City, Mo.; Los Angeles, Calif.; Puyallup, Wash.; Syracuse, N.Y.; and Washington, D.C.
The EPA will also be working with other federal agencies as well as state and local governments and even many Native American tribes and private sector companies to promote this project.
