Soak Up the Rain: Resource Index
Cities and towns are grappling with how to manage the water that runs off roofs, driveways and parking lots into the street when it rains. In many communities the stormwater systems are not designed to handle the runoff they receive. The infrastructure is aging and some communities face increasing state and federal requirements.
Communities are looking for efficient, lower-cost ways to handle stormwater runoff and protect local waterways. Businesses and institutions are also seeking efficiency and economy in managing stormwater runoff - and looking to maximize the return from their investments. Green infrastructure is a cost-effective and resilient approach to managing stormwater that can help bring many social, economic, public health, and environmental benefits to communities.
- Green Infrastructure
- Benefits of Green Infrastructure
- Green Streets & Green Alleys
- Brownfields and Vacant Properties
- Modeling Tools
- Climate Resiliency
- Funding Stormwater Management
- Operation and Maintenance of Green Infrastructure
- Permits and Regulations
- Smart Growth
Green Infrastructure
Saving the Rain: Green Stormwater Solutions for Congregations (pdf)
This guide was created to help congregations work through the process of enhancing their grounds by implementing green stormwater management practices.
Tackling Barriers to Green Infrastructure, An Audit of Local Codes and Ordinances, Wisconsin Sea Grant with Support from the NOAA Coastal Storms Program (pdf)
This workbook illustrates the opportunities of thinking differently about managing stormwater. It can be used as a guide to lead communities through the process of revising codes and onto a more sustainable pathway to stormwater management.
STORM SMART SCHOOLS: A Guide to Integrate Green Stormwater Infrastructure to Meet Regulatory Compliance and Promote Environmental Literacy, 2017, U.S. EPA
For cities and school districts interested in using green infrastructure on school grounds to manage stormwater and teach lessons about conservation and environmental protection, the guide outlines the multiple benefits of school-based green infrastructure and the eight steps to implementation
Green Infrastructure in Parks: A Guide to Collaboration, Funding, and Community Engagement, May 2017, U.S. EPA (pdf)
EPA produced the guide to encourage partnerships between park agencies and stormwater agencies to promote the use of green infrastructure on park lands. By building strong partnerships, agencies can improve park lands and access to parks, better manage stormwater, increase community resiliency to shifting weather patterns, and provide funding to implement and maintain park enhancements that benefit the community.
Including information on how to identify and engage partners, build relationships, involve the community, leverage funding opportunities, and identify green infrastructure opportunities, the guide also includes recommendations on the types of projects that provide a wide range of benefits and are most likely to attract positive attention and funding. Case studies illustrate how partnerships have improved recreational resources in the community, enhanced environmental protection, and reduced risks and burdens.
Green Infrastructure Wizard (GIWiz), U.S. EPA
A web-based tool to help communities find EPA tools and resources to learn the basics of green infrastructure and explore options for financing it, visualize and design rain gardens and permeable pavements, understand how other communities are using green infrastructure to revitalize neighborhoods, and develop public education and outreach campaigns.
Green Infrastructure, U.S. EPA
Overcoming Barriers to Green Infrastructure
Information and resources for municipalities, designers and others concerned about design challenges, costs, performance, maintenance, and other issues.
Green Infrastructure Toolkit, Georgetown Climate Center
Innovative local communities and regions are beginning to implement a wide array of new "green infrastructure" measures, which retain and treat stormwater where it falls instead of relying on traditional, concrete-based systems largely underground. In order to ensure effective implementation, this toolkit identifies green infrastructure practices from cities across the country to guide those still designing their programs.
Tools, Strategies and Lessons Learned from EPA Green Infrastructure Technical Assistance Projects, 2015, U.S. EPA (pdf)
Results from EPA's green infrastructure technical assistance program for communities looking for solutions to their unique challenges. Quick reference guide matches problems with real world, tested solutions and offers readers resources for further information.
Enhancing Sustainable Communities With Green Infrastructure: A guide to help communities better manage stormwater while achieving other environmental, public health, social, and economic benefits, 2014, U.S. EPA
A report to help local governments, water utilities, nonprofit organizations, neighborhood groups, and other stakeholders integrate green infrastructure strategies into plans that can transform their communities.
Green Infrastructure Opportunities that Arise During Municipal Operations, 2015, U.S. EPA
Provides approaches that small to midsize communities can use to incorporate green infrastructure components into work they are doing in public spaces. The document presents examples and case studies of how integrating green infrastructure methods can enhance retrofits and maintenance projects and provide other multiple community benefits.
City Green: Innovative Green Infrastructure Solutions for Downtowns and Infill Locations, 2016, U.S. EPA
Prepared for local governments, private developers, and other stakeholders, this report showcases projects from around the country that have overcome many common challenges to green infrastructure at sites surrounded by existing development and infrastructure. These case studies show successful strategies and lessons learned for overcoming common problems and provide inspiration for those who want to use green infrastructure strategies.
Coastal Stormwater Management Through Green Infrastructure: A Handbook for Municipalities, 2014, U.S. EPA
Designed to assist coastal municipalities in incorporating green infrastructure into their stormwater management planning as they respond to MS4 stormwater permit requirements, review development proposals, and retrofit existing municipal facilities and sites. While developed for communities within the Massachusetts Bays Program area, it can be applied more broadly and used in other locations.
City Parks, Clean Water: Making Great Places Using Green Infrastructure, March 2016, The Trust for Public Land
Study report on the successes and challenges of water-smart parks, looking both at the technologies and political issues involved in using green infrastructure to make cities more desirable, livable and successful.
Greening CSO Plans: Planning and Modeling Green Infrastructure for Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Control, 2014, U.S. EPA
A document to assist communities in developing and evaluating Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) control alternatives that include green infrastructure. Designed to provide municipal officials and sewer authorities with tools to help quantify green infrastructure contributions to an overall CSO control plan.
Evaluation of Green Alternatives for Combined Sewer Overflow Mitigation: A Proposed Economic Impact Framework and Illustration of its Application, 2013, U.S EPA (pdf)
Using one city as an example, the report develops a broad framework, or taxonomy, for identifying and organizing the socioeconomic impacts of sewer infrastructure projects. It provides guidance to communities to inform deliberations about gray versus green infrastructure approaches, an organizational and adaptable taxonomy, and a tool for pre- and post- green infrastructure implementation assessment of the socioeconomic benefits of green infrastructure.
Green Infrastructure Case Studies: Municipal Policies for Managing Stormwater with Green Infrastructure, 2010, U.S. EPA
Presents the common trends in how 12 local governments developed and implemented stormwater policies to support green infrastructure. While a strong motivation for these policies and programs is innovation in stormwater management, many communities are moving past the era of single objective spending and investing in runoff reduction and stormwater management strategies that have multiple benefits.
Benefits of Green Infrastructure
Holistically Analyzing the Benefits of Green Infrastructure, Guidance for Local Governments, 2017, University of Maryland Environmental Finance Center (pdf)
Intended for smaller local governments with stormwater programs that are responsible for regulatory compliance with municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) obligations (eg, Phase 2 communities), the document outlines an approach to holistically evaluate the benefits of implementing green infrastructure. The guidance places emphasis on first understanding the goal and scope for assessing benefits, using these to step the user through: (1) differentiating between direct benefits and co-benefits of GI, and (2) understanding when and how these benefits need to be characterized, quantified or monetized. This document is not intended to be a "how to" measure benefits for conducting benefit-cost analysis, but rather an approach to tailor benefits and co-benefits identification and description to inform decision making and stakeholder engagement.
Healthy Benefits of Green Infrastructure in Communities, 2017, U.S EPA (pdf)
Fact sheet describes how weaving natural features into the built environment, green infrastructure can not only provide stormwater management, but also a number of other environmental, social, and economic benefits not typically provided by gray infrastructure.
Are Green Spaces Good for Your Heart?, February 2018, U.S. EPA Science Matters
Research papers are adding to an emerging body of scientific research showing direct links between the natural environments and human health. What they are learning is helping local communities better capture those benefits as it becomes increasingly clear that green spaces can be good for the heart.
Green Infrastructure: Back to Basics, U.S. Green Building Council
Article highlights the many benefits of increasing green space, particularly in urban areas.
Benefits of Green Infrastructure, Green Infrastructure, U.S. EPA
Green infrastructure reduces and treats stormwater at its source while delivering many other environmental, social, and economic benefits that not only promote urban livability, but add to the bottom line.
Flood Loss Avoidance Benefits of Green Infrastructure for Stormwater Management, 2015, U.S. EPA
Modeling study estimates the flood loss avoidance benefits from application of small storm retention practices for new development and redevelopment nationwide.
Estimating Monetized Benefits of Groundwater Recharge from Stormwater Retention Practices, 2016, U. S. EPA
Water supply uses are only a portion of the total economic value of groundwater recharge. EPA commissioned this study to explore methods for estimating the consumptive direct use value of groundwater recharge achieved through stormwater retention practices designed to simulate predevelopment hydrology.
Reducing Heat Islands Compendium of Strategies: Trees and Vegetation, U.S. EPA (pdf)
Shade trees and smaller plants such as shrubs, vines, grasses, and ground cover, help cool the urban environment. Describes the causes and impacts of summertime urban heat islands and promotes strategies for lowering temperatures in U.S. communities.
Enhancing Sustainable Communities With Green Infrastructure: A guide to help communities better manage stormwater while achieving other environmental, public health, social, and economic benefits, 2014, U.S. EPA
A report to help local governments, water utilities, nonprofit organizations, neighborhood groups, and other stakeholders integrate green infrastructure strategies into plans that can transform their communities.
Case Studies Analyzing the Economic Benefits of Low Impact Development and Green Infrastructure Programs, 2013, U.S. EPA
Prepared to help utilities, state and municipal agencies, and others understand the potential benefits of their low impact development (LID) and green infrastructure (GI) programs to help promote the use of LID/GI, where appropriate. Highlights different evaluation methods that have been successfully applied and demonstrates cases where LID/GI has been shown to be economically beneficial.
The Value of Green Infrastructure, A Guide to Recognizing its Economic, Environmental and Social Benefits, 2011, Center for Neighborhood Technology and American Rivers (pdf)
Provides a framework to help communities measure and value the air quality, energy use, and many other benefits that green infrastructure provides to allow communities to more accurately compare different infrastructure investments and choose the option that provides the greatest long-term benefit.
Banking on Green: A look at how green infrastructure can save municipalities money and provide economic benefits community-wide, April 2012
A joint report by America Rivers, the Water Environment Federation, the American Society of Landscape Architects and ECONorthwest focuses on the economic impacts caused by polluted urban runoff and provides a compendium of current experiences, analysis and knowledge.
Forging the Link, Linking the Economic Benefits of Low Impact Development and Community Decisions, 2011
A study conducted by UNH Stormwater Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, and Antioch University New England
Reducing Stormwater Costs through Low Impact Development (LID) Strategies and Practices, 2007, U.S. EPA (pdf)
Information for cities, counties, states, private-sector developers and others on the costs and benefits of using Low Impact Development (LID) strategies and practices to help protect and restore water quality.
Green Streets & Green Alleys
Green Streets, Green Jobs, Green Towns (G3) Program, US EPA
When planning, designing, building or replacing infrastructure, communities can adopt a G3 approach that incorporates nature and natural systems into the community landscape to manage and infiltrate stormwater.
Chicago Green Alley Handbook, City of Chicago, Chicago Department of Transportation (pdf)
This handbook explains why the City is interested in sustainable alley design, illustrates the BMP techniques the City will use in green alley design, and provides sample layouts of how these elements have been combined in pilot applications. Information and resources are also provided for property owners interested in implementing their own environmental BMPs.
Green Streets: The Road to Clean Water, U.S. EPA
Video highlights green streets as a technique for managing stormwater and providing other economic and community benefits.
Promoting Green Streets - A Recipe for Integrating Water and Transportation Infrastructure Investment, 2016, River Network
Green streets, like other green infrastructure approaches, can help replicate natural processes to dramatically reduce the volume, rate and temperature of runoff from impervious areas, while also providing street features that slow traffic and provide increased walkability. With a goal of providing a straightforward process for identifying the best locations for green street stormwater practices, the Guide provides support to city administrators, planners, designers, and environmental advocates in determining the potential - and developing strategies - for green streets in their cities and watersheds.
Municipal Green Streets Projects and Resources, River Network
Many cities across the U.S. are leading the way and focusing significant attention and resources on retrofitting their streets and alleys with green infrastructure. View their list of municipal green streets projects and resources compiled in 2016
EPA Green Streets Handbook, March 2021 (pdf)
This EPA handbook is intended to help state and local transportation agencies, municipal officials, designers, stakeholders and others to select, design and implement site design strategies and green infrastructure practices for roads, alleys and parking lots. The document provides background information on street and road typologies and offers a programmatic framework to use when identifying areas that can be initially designed or later retrofitted with green infrastructure practices or systems.
Brownfields and Vacant Properties
Design Principles for Stormwater Management on Compacted, Contaminated Soils in Dense Urban Areas
Fact sheet defines green infrastructure and highlights some unique considerations and design guidelines for implementing green infrastructure on brownfield sites.
Green Infrastructure: Land Revitalization Success Stories, 2014, U.S. EPA
Describes brownfields and land revitalization projects where green infrastructure elements were used to restore formerly contaminated land and other natural resources into sustainable community assets. These projects improve stormwater management while maximizing the positive environmental, economic, and social benefits of brownfields cleanup and revitalization.
Land Revitalization Program Tools for Communities, U.S. EPA
EPA's Land Revitalization Team works to support communities in their efforts to implement sustainable redevelopment strategies. Community projects often result in the development of replicable models and useful tools that can help other communities implement more sustainable redevelopment strategies. This fact sheet highlights some of the tools that have resulted from the regional community-based projects and can be adapted for use in other communities.
Among the fact sheets in the series, Green Infrastructure.
Green Infrastructure: Reusing Superfund Site and Promoting Sustainable Communities, July 2015 Webinar, Sponsored by U.S. EPA Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation
Introduces green infrastructure elements in the context of reusing and revitalizing Superfund sites. Includes site-specific reuse projects with green infrastructure elements along with considerations and opportunities for future projects looking to sustainably return contaminated lands to productive and beneficial use for communities.
Implementing Stormwater Infiltration Practices at Vacant Parcels and Brownfield Sites, 2013, U.S. EPA
Information to assist communities, developers, and other stakeholders in determining the appropriateness of implementing stormwater management practices that promote infiltration at vacant parcels and brownfield sites.
Modeling Tools
Green Infrastructure Modeling Toolkit, Office of Research and Development, U.S. EPA
EPA has developed innovative models, tools, and technologies for communities to manage urban water runoff. The models and tools in this toolkit incorporate green infrastructure practices to help communities manage their water resources in a more sustainable way, increasing resilience to future changes, such as climate and extreme events.
Includes a link to the National Stormwater Calculator, a desktop application that estimates the impact of land cover change and green infrastructure controls on stormwater runoff from a selected site, including a residential landscape. Estimates of runoff volume and frequency are based on local soil, topographic and climate data, and user-provided land cover and BMP data.
Modeling Tools that Support the Green Streets, Green Jobs, Green Towns Approach, U.S. EPA
Free modeling tools are available for those looking to take the Green Streets, Green Jobs, Green Towns (G3) approach to incorporating green streets and innovative stormwater management techniques in their community. Modeling tools support planning and design decisions on a range of scales from setting a green infrastructure target for an entire watershed to designing a green infrastructure practice for a particular site or location, such as a green street.
Green Infrastructure Models, Green Infrastructure, U.S. EPA
Models are available to assess the costs and environmental outcomes associated with green infrastructure approaches.
Climate Resiliency
Storm Smart Cities, Integrating Green Infrastructure into Local Hazard Mitigation Plans, 2018, US EPA
This guide is a case study of early efforts by Huntington, West Virginia and their collaborators to consider how green infrastructure could be incorporated into local hazard mitigation plans to address local flooding and protect water quality. The guide captures some early lessons learned that can benefit other communities and includes recommendations for integrating green infrastructure into local hazard mitigation plans.
Smart Growth Fixes for Climate Adaptation and Resilience: Changing Land Use and Building Codes to Prepare for Climate Change, 2017, U.S. EPA
Outlines more than 70 policies to help local governments adapt to current or projected flooding and extreme precipitation, sea level rise and storm surge, extreme heat, drought, and wildfire. With policies ranging from modest adjustments to wholesale changes, communities can see different options to consider depending on their needs and context; examples of community implementation; resources for more information; and metrics taken from three community-scale sustainability rating systems.
Green Infrastructure and Climate Change: Collaborating to Improve Community Resiliency, 2016, U.S. EPA
As different parts of the country become drier, wetter or hotter, community leaders and citizens are looking to green infrastructure to improve their community's resiliency to the effects of climate change. In 2015, EPA convened charrettes, or intensive planning sessions, in four cities to demonstrate how this type of planning could be applied to communities dealing with a range of challenges. This report summarizes the issues and recommendations developed by each charrette.
EPA Releases New Online Training Module on Understanding Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources, 2016, U.S. EPA
Training module designed to increase understanding of the causes of climate change, its potential impacts on water resources, and the challenges water resource managers are facing.
U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit
For many Americans, adapting to new climate regimes means developing new expertise. Decision makers across the nation are learning to use data and tools to manage their climate-related risks and opportunities. Find resources and a framework to understand and address climate issues that impact people and their communities. Watch the video that explains how you can use the U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit to improve resilience.
Climate Ready Utilities, U.S. EPA
CRWU provides water sector utilities (drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater utilities) with the practical tools, training, and technical assistance needed to adapt to climate change by promoting a clear understanding of climate science and adaptation options.
Green Infrastructure for Climate Resiliency, U.S. EPA
Information on how green infrastructure can be used as an important tool for building community resilience to climate change impacts such as increased heavy rainfall and heat island effect. Includes infographic and fact sheet. For more information about Urban Heat Island.
Understanding Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources, 2016, U.S. EPA
Training module is intended to increase water resource professionals' understanding of the causes of climate change, its potential impacts on water resources, and the challenges that water resource professionals face. The module also describes how federal, state, tribal, and local governments and communities are working to make the United States more resilient to the impacts of climate.
Addressing Climate Change in the Water Sector
EPA is working with state, tribal, and local governments, as well as communities, to build resiliency and develop tools to respond to climate change. Learn about the steps EPA is taking to address the impacts of climate change in the water sector.
EPA National Water Program Climate Adaptation Tools, U.S. EPA (pdf)
A summary of tools developed by the EPA National Water Program for state, tribal, and local governments and others to adapt their clean water and drinking water programs to a changing climate.
Resilience and Adaptation in New England (RAINE)
Database of vulnerability, resilience and adaptation reports, plans and webpages at the state, regional and community level about activities in more than 100 jurisdictions in New England addressing flooding, heat, extreme weather events, sea level rise and more. Use the database to share what you've done, learn from others, or research actions being taken at the state, regional or community level to address climate change.
Stormwater Management in Response to Climate Change Impacts: Lessons from the Chesapeake Bay and Great Lakes Regions (Final Report), March 2016, U.S. EPA
This report focuses on locally identified barriers to addressing climate change, methods to overcome barriers in the short term, and long term information needs to further assist communities in their stormwater adaptation efforts. Target audiences include local and state planners and managers engaged in the development and implementation of stormwater management policies and practices.
Funding Stormwater Management
Water Infrastructure and Resiliency Finance Center, U.S. EPA
Leading edge financing and increased resiliency are key components to meeting water infrastructure needs. The Water Infrastructure and Resiliency Finance Center is a resource to communities that are financing drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure.
Water Finance Clearinghouse, U.S EPA
Web‐based portal to help communities locate information and resources that will assist them in making informed decisions for their drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure needs. Includes two searchable databases: one contains available funding sources for water infrastructure and the second contains resources, such as reports, weblinks, webinars etc. on financing mechanisms and approaches that can help communities access capital to meet their water infrastructure needs.
Water Infrastructure Financial Leadership, 2017, U.S. EPA
Designed for local decision makers to help identify what is needed for financial planning, determine how to fund and finance a project, and consider which strategic approaches can be used to protect local investments. Compiles existing resources and descriptions of successful community examples as tools to help inform water infrastructure investment decisions.
Green Infrastructure Funding and Technical Assistance Opportunities, Green Infrastructure, U.S. EPA
Includes potential federal funding sources for green infrastructure project; links to guides, case studies, and training materials for understanding funding options; and spreadsheet tools for assessing program costs and financing scenarios.
Getting to Green: Paying for Green Infrastructure; Finance Options and Resources for Municipal Decision-makers, 2014, EPA
Targeted at those making decisions about how to finance green Infrastructure practices, the report identifies various funding sources that can be used to support stormwater management programs or finance individual projects.
Evaluation of the Role of Public Outreach and Stakeholder Engagement in Stormwater Funding Decisions in New England: Lessons from Communities, 2013, U.S. EPA
How and why have some communities reached consensus on funding solutions while others could not? The report evaluates whether and how public outreach and stakeholder engagement were critical to the successful adoption of sustainable stormwater funding mechanisms. It compiles a set of "lessons learned" for communities seeking to achieve community-wide agreement on stormwater program funding solutions.
Operation and Maintenance of Green Infrastructure
Green Street Stewards Program, Environmental Services, Portland, Oregon
Environmental Services developed the Green Street Steward program for community members interested in participating in the care and maintenance of Portland's green streets.
Check out the Green Streets Stewards Maintenance Guide, Updated November 2017 (pdf) .
Operation and Maintenance of Green Infrastructure Receiving Runoff from Roads and Parking Lots, 2016, U.S. EPA
Includes common operation and maintenance questions in addition to recommendations for determining if maintenance is needed, inspection frequency, triggers for maintenance and disposal of materials.
Maintenance Resources, University of New Hampshire Stormwater Center
Access guidelines and checklists for pervious pavements, subsurface gravel wetland systems, and bioretention and tree box filter systems.
Best Practices for Green Infrastructure O & M, EPA Green Infrastructure Webinar Series
Access the slides and transcript from this 2014 EPA webcast featuring Karen Sands, Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewage District and Dr. William F. Hunt, Professor and Extension Specialist, North Carolina State University. The webcast provides a general overview of best practices to consider when creating a green infrastructure O&M plan and covers specific lessons learned from early adopters of both regulatory and incentive approaches to ensuring proper O&M on both public and private property.
Stormwater Facility Maintenance & Inspection, Department of Environmental Protection, Montgomery County Maryland
Website describes their program and includes a wide range of resources including fact sheets, easements and maintenance agreements, and much more.
The Importance of Operation and Maintenance for the Long-Term Success of Green Infrastructure, March 2013, U.S. EPA (pdf) (2.2 MB)
A review of green infrastructure O & M practices in ARRA Clean Water State Revolving Fund Projects
Staying Green: Strategies to Improve Operations and Maintenance of Green Infrastructure in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, American Rivers in partnership with Green for All 2013 (pdf)
Examines some of the major barriers to effective operations and maintenance of green infrastructure practices in the Chesapeake Bay region and identifies strategies and best practices being used to develop and improve maintenance practices.
Elements of a Green Infrastructure Maintenance Business Plan: A Stakeholder-Driven Process to Determine the Preferred Approach to Green Infrastructure Maintenance in Southeast Wisconsin, U.S. EPA 2014 Technical Assistance Program (pdf)
To address the challenges associated with green infrastructure maintenance, Metropolitan Milwaukee Sewerage District partnered with the U.S. EPA to create a stakeholder-endorsed strategic green infrastructure maintenance business plan for southeast Wisconsin. This report provides background on MMSD's green infrastructure program and existing maintenance efforts and describes options for crafting a sustainable, stakeholder-driven maintenance business model to meet the region's green infrastructure maintenance needs as well as other regional objectives (e.g., educating the public, creating jobs, and providing opportunities for job training).
Permits and Regulations
For information about stormwater regulations and how permits are used to protect and restore local waterways.
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit Program, U. S. EPA
Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4), U. S. EPA
MS4 Permit Compendium Series, U.S. EPA
EPA has published the third in its MS4 Permit Compendium Series. Each compendium has examples of permits with some provisions that include green infrastructure.
NPDES Permits in New England, NPDES Stormwater Permit Program, U. S. EPA New England
EPA Low Impact Development Fact Sheet on Aligning Local Codes
EPA concluded its 12-part LID Barrier Buster Fact Sheet Series by addressing a significant barrier to greater use of LID: barriers in local development codes that have prevented greater adoption of LID, also known as green stormwater infrastructure. Because this obstacle is pervasive and can be difficult to address, the new fact sheet contains two parts (pdf) . Part 1 (the first two pages) lays out the problem and describes the solution in general terms. Part 2 (the remaining 6 pages) walks readers through the solution’s process with illustrative examples along the way and links to additional resources. See the full 12-part LID Barrier Buster Fact Sheet series or jump straight to the new fact sheet (pdf) .
Smart Growth
Smart growth strategies help communities grow in ways that expand economic opportunity while protecting human health and the environment.
Smart Growth Fixes for Climate Adaptation and Resilience: Changing Land Use and Building Codes to Prepare for Climate Change, 2017, U.S. EPA
Outlines more than 70 policies to help local governments adapt to current or projected flooding and extreme precipitation, sea level rise and storm surge, extreme heat, drought, and wildfire. With policies ranging from modest adjustments to wholesale changes, communities can see different options to consider depending on their needs and context; examples of community implementation; resources for more information; and metrics taken from three community-scale sustainability rating systems.