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Department of Ecology News Release - July 14, 2006
06-125
OLYMPIA - One of the most effective ways to manage stormwater-runoff pollution is to minimize how much runoff occurs in the first place. To help implement solutions, the Department of Ecology (Ecology) is offering a new grant program that will help local governments accomplish runoff-reduction goals.
This pilot program will provide grants to local governments in the Puget Sound basin to fund innovative, low impact development (LID) stormwater-management projects. The program was included in Gov. Chris Gregoire's 2006 Supplemental Budget and is an integral part of the governor's "Puget Sound Initiative." The 2006 Legislature authorized and appropriated $2.5 million for the program.
LID-designed sites have fewer impervious surfaces and use vegetation, healthy soils, small-scale storage, and dispersion and infiltration techniques to manage stormwater close to where it originates. The result is less polluted runoff that needs to be managed in smaller, centralized stormwater facilities, such as ponds. In some cases, centralized stormwater facilities may not be necessary.
Examples of LID projects include permeable pavement, rain gardens, vegetated roofs, reverse-slope sidewalks and rainwater-harvest projects. The full range of LID techniques are described in the Low Impact Development Technical Guidance Manual for Puget Sound, which is available online at: http://www.psat.wa.gov/Publications/LID_tech_manual05/LID_manual2005.pdf .
The LID grants are to be used for projects on local government property, including rights-of-way or easements to meet stormwater-management needs and protect or restore water quality. To encourage information-sharing between other local governments and the public at large, applicants are encouraged to employ LID practices in parks, walkways and trails where the LID uses can be explained with interpretive signs or by other means.
Ecology will be conducting two workshops on the program in July:
* July 20, 2006, Mount Vernon, Best Western Cottontree Inn, San Juan Room, 2300 Market St., at 9 a.m. * July 25, 2006, DuPont, Liberty Inn, Liberty & Rainier Rooms, 1400 Wilmington Dr., at 9 a.m.
Local governments have until Sept. 15 to apply for these funds. The program guidelines, application and evaluation criteria are available on Ecology's Web site at: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/funding/funding.html .
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Media contact: Glenn Kuper, public information manager, 360-791-3177
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
