An estimated 10 trillion gallons of untreated stormwater run roofs, roads, parking lots, and other paved surfaces, often through the sewage treatment system, into the rivers and waterways as a drinking water supply and flow of our beaches, increasing health risks, degraded ecosystems, destroying the tourist economy. However, the city of all sizes save money green infrastructure as part of the solution, stormwater pollution and sewage overflow problems.
Green infrastructure can help stop the capture rainwater and store it, or let it filter back into the ground runoff pollution, to supplement the vegetation and groundwater supplies. The green infrastructure Examples include green roofs, street trees, increased green space, rain barrels, rain gardens, permeable pavement. These solutions have beautify the community benefits, cool and clean the air, reduce asthma and heat-related illnesses, reduce heating and cooling energy costs, stimulate the economy and support American jobs.
The roof of the NRDC II provides 14 different location in the city have adopted green infrastructure solutions to solve the case of the leaders of the challenges of rain - at the same time looking for beneficial uses rainwater, reduce pollution, save money, and beautify the urban landscape of the river. These cities, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that rain, once considered a costly nuisance, can be transformed into social resources. Have been identified, these urban green infrastructure is a more cost-effective way than in the "gray" or traditional infrastructure, such as underground storage systems and pipeline investment. At the same time, every dollar of investment in green infrastructure, traditional infrastructure can not flood resilience, where needed, to enhance the local water supply, including the provision of other benefits.
The NRDC identified six major cities action should be taken to maximize green infrastructure investment, and to become the "Emerald City":
To develop a long-term green infrastructure plan, laid the vision of the city, as well as infrastructure investment priorities.
The rain strong reservations about the standards to develop and implement, to minimize the impact from the development and protection of water resources.
Require the use of green infrastructure to reduce or otherwise manage runoff, impervious surface of some part of your comprehensive planning.
Providing incentives for residential and commercial property owners to install green infrastructure to stimulate private owners to take action.
Guidance or other affirmative assistance to complete, green infrastructure, through demonstration projects, seminars and "how-to" materials and guidelines.
Ensure long-term, dedicated source of funding can be used to support investment in green infrastructure.
Although the city and decision-makers in their understanding and use of green infrastructure made great progress since the publication in 2006 the first roof Rivers report, there are still a lot of work at the local, state and federal levels. Local officials need better information on green infrastructure benefits, and how to maximize the investment interests. States should conduct a comprehensive green infrastructure planning to ensure that allows the program to promote the use of green infrastructure to remove obstacles (either from the construction and development code or funds), green infrastructure to ensure that sufficient funds.
Most importantly, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must reform the National Clean Water Act rules apply to the source of rain, and retain a sufficient number of rainwater through osmosis, evaporation, rainwater harvesting to ensure water quality protection. The rules should apply to the entire city and urbanized areas. EPA is also part of the renovation and reconstruction of infrastructure projects developed regions on request. In doing so, the EPA will be reflected in the understanding of the leaders of the cities in this country, from the environment, public health and economic point of view, the green infrastructure is the best way to clean up the lessons learned in our waters.
From stormwater drains water directly into the ocean. Such as oil, grease, garbage, dirt, and other contaminants, pollution, you can enter the harbor through stormwater drains. The focus of water pollution control in the port, because most of the port of 3200 acres of land laying and water directly into the harbor waters. Improve water quality, we have to protect our oceans, providing a healthy marine environment, and help to ensure a sustainable place to live, work, play the past few years.
Port water quality improvement efforts
Green port water quality and sediment quality program to improve water and sediment quality management port activities, may affect the harbor waters and sediments. In recent decades, in the harbor area of ??water and sediment quality greatly improved, the survey shows that fish diversity and bird species to flourish, steady improvement in the harbor.
The main storm water pollution prevention plan
In 1992, in order to achieve the storm water management system for the entire harbor area to create a storm water pollution prevention plan by the port, including storm water management, including industrial, construction, municipal and development activities. The program beyond what is required by federal and state law.
Contractors, tenants and ports follow the best management practices in the design, construction, operation and maintenance of the facility in order to prevent soil erosion and contaminants from entering stormwater drains. The port management National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) stormwater allow through the main rain plan. Port is based on the industrial permit, the permit holder to ensure compliance with the tenants.
Port-state sweep the streets every day to work to help keep the the port road clean bucket 25 tons of garbage a year removed from the harbor. Port tenants carry out regular inspections to ensure that they comply with the port stormwater permit. Check also ensures that facilities and clean stormwater pollution prevention programs (SWPPPs) training??, Self-examination is the latest.
Rainwater around the port 21 outfall sampling, as it enters the harbor, testing pollutants. The port is currently in the process installed in a safer way, automatic sampling equipment designed to collect more accurate sample. The ports annually compiles the results of inspection and sampling, the result is to be included in the Annual Report of the City of Long Beach City water board. The port is expected regulatory changes permit implementation of the revised elements, such as increased monitoring and inspection, to enter the main rain plan. The port has been actively involved in the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Regional Water Quality Control Board, the development of TMDL implementation plan Dominguez channel and port. The implementation plan will identify the port and upstream of the action, the dischargers must take to ensure the improvement of the water body. |
