Unpave a Parking Lot and Put up a Paradise: Using Green Infrastructure and Ecosystem Services to Achieve Cost-Effective Compliance

27 Pages Posted: 2 Aug 2012

See all articles by Robert B. McKinstry

Robert B. McKinstry

Independent

H. Prior

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Jennifer Drust

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Ana Montalbán

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Kimberly Magrini

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Date Written: August 1, 2012

Abstract

Philadelphia has agreed to implement a long-term plan to employ ecosystem services provided by green stormwater control infrastructure to reduce combined sewer overflows (CSO) and achieve compliance with the CSO requirements of the Clean Water Act. The $2.5 billion Green City, Clean Waters Program, to be implemented over 25 years as a part of the City’s larger “Greenworks” sustainability initiative, will save the City approximately $8 billion over traditional grey infrastructure. Green infrastructure projects in developed landscapes require the involvement of private property owners. This presents unique issues and opportunities for public-private partnerships, tax-exempt finance, mechanisms to leverage tax benefits, and to generate co-benefits in energy and recreation. This article examines the applicable requirements of the Clean Water Act, the City’s efforts to implement and finance the program, other similar programs and the possibility of replicating the program in other jurisdictions.

Suggested Citation

McKinstry, Robert B. and Prior, H. and Drust, Jennifer and Montalbán, Ana and Magrini, Kimberly, Unpave a Parking Lot and Put up a Paradise: Using Green Infrastructure and Ecosystem Services to Achieve Cost-Effective Compliance (August 1, 2012). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1824530 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1824530

H. Prior

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Jennifer Drust

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Ana Montalbán

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Kimberly Magrini

affiliation not provided to SSRN

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