WASHINGTON — Senator Tom Udall and Representative Donna Edwards reintroduced the Innovative Stormwater Infrastructure Act of 2015, S. 896/H.R. 1775, to provide crucial support to innovative strategies, improving the ability to effectively manage sewage overflows and polluted runoff while relieving pressure on aging infrastructure, according to a press release.
The legislation would provide implementation grants for community-based stormwater control projects and promote the use of innovative stormwater infrastructure, stated the release.
The legislation would also establish up to five “Centers of Excellence” throughout the U.S. to conduct research, develop recommendations and supply technical assistance and training for implementing management practices for stormwater control and management, reported the release.
The National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA), the Water Environment Federation (WEF), the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and American Rivers (AR) have supplied technical assistance to the sponsors of the bill and worked to appeal for broad congressional support, continued the release.
“As discussed in NACWA’s ‘Water Resources Utility of the Future Blueprint for Action’, NRDC’s ‘Rooftops to Rivers II’ and various publications from ASLA, AR and WEF, communities across the country are implementing innovative technology like green infrastructure to better manage stormwater, save money, and improve quality of life more broadly,” noted the release.
You can find the release here.
