Rainwater becomes polluted runoff as it washes over roads, roofs and parking lots picking up weed killer, engine oil, road salt and trash. Polluted runoff is a major factor pushing our state’s rivers, streams and the Chesapeake Bay - to the brink of death. To stop further degradation of our waterways, the federal Clean Water Act requires that our most densely populated counties and cities reduce polluted runoff. To raise the funds to implement this mandate, counties such as Prince George’s and Montgomery collect annual fees from property owners to pay for local projects. In some counties like Montgomery, the bigger your house and driveway, the bigger your fee which is directly linked to the square footage on your property that is preventing rainwater from filtering naturally through the soil.
While under attack as a ‘rain tax’, these stormwater fees finance critical infrastructure to manage the damage created by polluted runoff. Amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars, the fees are also an enormous opportunity to set our counties and cities on the path to real sustainability. That is why the Club’s State Water Team organized Clean Water Town Halls – entitled Leaving the Gray Behind: Clean Water, Green Jobs & Climate Resilience - in close collaboration with the Prince George’s and Montgomery County Sierra Club groups this earlier this month.
Passed in 1972, the Clean Air Act establishes five-year goals for each county or large municipality, which are enforced through the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE). Both Town Halls emphasized the importance of local projects like rain gardens, tree planting and bioswales to filter and clean polluted runoff while restoring streams, creating green jobs, replacing habitat and tree canopy and sequestering carbon.
Highlights from Montgomery County:
· Standing room only! Roughly 120 clean water champions attended.
· Noting that Montgomery County’s next round of projects was scheduled to begin in February of 2015, Steve Shofar, Division Chief of the County’s Stormwater Management, reported that MDE is expected to delay the county’s upgraded water quality goals. Given that the county has nearly completed its work from the current cycle, that delay should be challenged. Residents can still take action on their own properties and in their own communities through the Rainscapes and Green Streets programs (described below). Also please write to County Executive Leggett to request that Montgomery County commit to an all-green stormwater retrofit program that relies on practices like trees and rain gardens, as Prince George’s County has already done.
· Addressing the perceived cost barrier to going green, former County advisor Danila Sheveiko presented studies demonstrating the business case for taxpayer investment in local projects that filter and clean polluted runoff such as green roofs, rain gardens, forest conservation, and real-world example where the shift from gray to green has already resulted in benefits to the economy and the environment.
· MariaRose Wilson shared inspiring stories of involving diverse youth in nature programs and Kit Gage shared the story of her community’s successful – and effort to steward a green streets project in their Sligo Creek neighborhood.
· Thanks to the following groups for participating by providing an information table: Rainscapes Program, Audubon Naturalist Society, Anacostia Watershed Society, Neighbors of Northwest Branch, Anacostia; Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake; 350MoCo (fossil fuel divestment) and the Montgomery County Civic Federation.
Highlights from Prince George’s County:
· 60 engaged county residents attended and asked excellent questions during the Q&A.
· Department of Environment (DoE) Director Adam Ortiz educated the audience about the fact that local projects that filter and clean polluted runoff such as rain gardens, bioswales and green roofs is a concept that originated in Prince George’s County. He also shared a preview of DoE’s plans to roll out a public-private partnership to install more than $1 billion in stormwater projects over the next decade. He strongly encouraged residents to take advantage of the Rain Check Rebate Program. “We’d much rather give you the cash rebate to filter water on your property than charge you the stormwater fee,” he explained to homeowners.
· Vernon Wade invited audience members to reach out to him and the Chamber of Commerce if you are interested in taking advantage of the many kinds of green jobs that will result from the local investment of the stormwater funds.
· Margaret Morgan-Hubbard shared the story of Eco-City Farms and the benefits of urban agriculture to reducing polluted runoff and greening our communities.
· Rev. Nathaniel Thomas talked about the importance of doing right by God’s creation and how places of worship can help by educating parishioners and taking action on large church parking lots.
· Thanks to the Anacostia Watershed Society, Neighbors of Northwest Branch, Anacostia, Clean Water Action and the folks at Community Outreach, Sustainable Initiatives, County Department of Environment for providing excellent additional information at your Town Hall table.
Green Your Property
The RainScapes Rewards Rebate Program offers cash back to property owners who install features such as rain gardens, rain barrels, conservation landscaping and other approved projects that help control stormwater. Residential property owners in Montgomery County can get up to $2500 for implementing these solutions and commercial rebates run up to $10,000 per property. Prince George’s residents can get up to $4,000 through that county’s Rain Check Rebate Program.
Green Your Neighborhood
For resources to green and beautify your broader community, check out Montgomery County’s Green Streets program which implements roadway landscaping designs that reduce and filter stormwater runoff.
Green the Policy
Whenever you hear people talking about the ‘rain tax’ get in the ring and explain how important this funding source is to keep our state on track. Just like schools and roads, reducing polluted runoff is a basic public works responsibility that must be funded. Further, let them know that local projects that filter and clean polluted runoff can provide great jobs, fishable, swimmable rivers, and revitalize our communities! Stay informed and stay involved!
The Maryland Chapter and Montgomery County Sierra Club Group would like to express our appreciation for our event speakers and partner organizations including the Anacostia Watershed Society, Audubon Naturalist Society and Clean Water Action. We look forward to continuing our work together to monitor progress on reducing stormwater runoff and to require more effective ways to reduce water pollution.