The dramatic increase in the number of recent flooding incidents in New Jersey raises important questions about where development should occur and how to plan and prepare for these events. As floodplain maps change, so do regulatory and design considerations, not to mention the added insurance risks to redeveloping in these locations. This session will look at current weather trends and how they will affect redeveloping communities, as well as explore innovative approaches to stormwater management, with a spotlight on Philadelphia’s Green Infrastructure Plan.

1. Smart, Green Solutions to a Major
Water Pollution Challenge
Controlling Flooding, Stopping Runoff Pollution and
Sewer Overflows
Larry Levine, NRDC

2. Urban Stormwater Runoff: Pollutants
bacteria trash
nutrients
heavy metals
pesticides suspended solids
2

3. Combined Sewer Overflows
Newtown Creek, Brooklyn
Image: Riverkeeper
Image: Seattle Public Utilities

4. Urban Stormwater Runoff: Flooding effects
(NOAA, National Weather Service)

5. Urban Stormwater Runoff: impairment
Ballona Creek, Los Angeles (California Coastal Commission)
Los Angeles River (City of Los Angeles)

6. Green Infrastructure as a solution:
What is Green Infrastructure?
Portland streetscape Navy Yard Bioretention
Photo courtesy of Martina Keefe Photo courtesy of LID Center

7. Portland’s stormwater street planters. Photo courtesy of
the Portland Bureau of Environmental Services. NRDC, Stormwater Strategies
Chicago City Hall Green Roof. Photo courtesy of
Permeable Pavement, City of Portland, BES Roofscapes, Inc.

8. Green Infrastructure as a solution:
Other non-water benefits
• Reduced energy use
• Increased property values
• Improved air quality
• Lower air temperature
• Reduced urban heat island effect
• Conservation of water

10. Philadelphia’s Green City Clean Water Initiative (Before)

11. Philadelphia’s Green City Clean Water Initiative (After)

13. The Philadelphia Story: Green City Clean Waters
• Over the next 25 years, Philly is committed to deploying the most
comprehensive network of green infrastructure found in any U.S. city.
• Plan is unique among US cities because it:
o Requires that thousands of acres be retrofitted with green
infrastructure, citywide.
At least one-third of impervious area served by combined sewer
system transformed into “greened acres” -- nearly 10,000 acres.
CONTINUED....

14. The Philadelphia Story: Green City Clean Waters
...CONTINUED
o Invests more in green infrastructure than in traditional (“gray”)
infrastructure.
At least $1.67 billion -- potentially up to $2 billion – for greened acres.
o Relies on green infrastructure for a majority of the required reductions in
sewage overflows.
o Leverages investments from the private sector to help satisfy pollution
reduction requirements.
Substantial portion of greened acres will come from redevelopment
projects, which must meet local stormwater performance standards.
Plan dovetails with various programs that incentivize private property
owners to retrofit existing development – including stormwater fees and
credits.

15. Overview: Rooftops to Rivers II
• Demonstrates how cities
use green infrastructure to
improve stormwater
management and achieve
multiple benefits.
• The report includes:
– Economic benefits of green
infrastructure
– Case studies on 14 cities
– Encouragement for EPA to
learn from the work of these
cities and advance these
solutions nationwide

16. NRDC’s Emerald City Metric

17. Questions?
www.nrdc.org/rooftops
switchboard.nrdc.org – search: “green infrastructure”
Me: llevine@nrdc.org