Water
CNT’s water policy agenda, advanced through various channels, is to advocate for urban community water resources that are economically, socially and environmentally sustainable. We will work to preserve existing policies and laws and propose new ones that promote green stormwater infrastructure, cost effective asset management, proper pricing, water conservation, water security and resiliency.
FEDERAL
Push Congress to Protect Federal Funding for Green Infrastructure. With the federal budget for Fiscal Year 2011 still being debated and early decisions being made for Fiscal Year 2012, CNT will continue to advocate for sustaining or increasing the federal investment in cost-effective green infrastructure projects through the Clean Water and Safe Drinking Water State Revolving Funds.
Urge Congress to Pass the Green Infrastructure for Clean Water Act. CNT is providing technical assistance to U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Tom Udall (D-NM), who are sponsoring the Green Infrastructure for Clean Water Act. The act would (a) establish green infrastructure centers of excellence and (b) provide grants for green infrastructure planning and development and implementation projects and green infrastructure portfolio standard programs.
Shape a Strong National Stormwater Regulation with EPA. CNT is working with U.S. EPA to shape its new national stormwater regulation. The regulation will expand the existing federal permitting rules to cover more land and activities, include performance standards for development and retrofit requirements for existing developed property, and encourage or require the use of green infrastructure to meet these standards and requirements.
STATE
Advocate Passage of a Bill that Allows Counties to Prevent Flooding. CNT is supporting a bill in the Illinois General Assembly that gives counties new authority to establish stormwater management programs that use impermeable surface fees to ensure that there are adequate budget resources and to encourage the use of green infrastructure through a fee credit system.
Establish Strong Stormwater Performance Standards with Illinois EPA. CNT will participate on an Illinois EPA advisory committee to establish statewide stormwater performance standards that encourage or require the use of green infrastructure.
REGIONAL AND LOCAL
Develop Training for County and Municipal Officials on Stormwater Permitting. CNT is coordinating a project to establish a green infrastructure training program for municipalities and counties that are subject to the statewide stormwater permit.
Encourage the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) to Adopt a Strong Stormwater Ordinance. CNT will work with the MWRD to adopt an ordinance for Cook County that encourages or requires new development and redevelopment to use green infrastructure to meet certain stormwater management performance standards.
Pilot a Green Infrastructure Portfolio Standard in Milwaukee and Grand Rapids. CNT will work with officials in Milwaukee and Grand Rapids to pilot a green infrastructure portfolio standard to develop a model that can be implemented in other cities across the country. A green infrastructure portfolio standard seeks to incrementally increase the percentage of annual stormwater runoff volume from an area that is retained on the land where it originates through the use of green infrastructure strategies and practices.
