Governor Gavin Newsom on Thursday unveiled a new water strategy that plans for a future with 10% less water and shifts the emphasis from conservation to more capture and reuse. The plan calls for creating storage for four (4) million acre-feet of water and recycling or reusing 800,000 acre-feet per year by 2030 in addition to more stormwater capture and …
A California bill tackling the plastic pollution crisis at the source is headed to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk after a vote in the state Senate this week. SB54 aims to set California on the path towards a circular economy by making producers responsible for improving recycling and composting infrastructure. Packaging producers of all materials must take financial responsibility for the …
The regular session of the Louisiana Legislature ended this week. Among the bills signed by the governor, was HB713, which authorizes political subdivisions to create stormwater utility systems. This bill, now Act No. 228, was pre-filed on March 4, 2022; after working its way through a number of committees it was signed into law and became effective on May 31, …
An overhaul of the state of Texas’ flood control planning is underway as a result of a series of historic floods that have inundated the state over the past decade. When completed in 2023, the state’s Flood Control Plan will be a comprehensive assessment of the entire state’s flood risk and provide a prioritized list of vital projects. Additionally, the …
American Rivers, a conservation nonprofit organization, released a report this week ranking the country’s 10 most imperiled tributaries, based on three criteria: the waterway’s significance to people and wildlife, the magnitude of the threat and the possibility for members of the public to influence relevant decisions over the upcoming year. The Colorado River, which provides drinking water to more than …
In recent weeks, a number of new laws were enacted in Virginia impacting stormwater and water quality in the Commonwealth. SB 551/HB516 : Provides guidelines for the development of a Virginia Flood Protection Master Plan for the Commonwealth and requires that the Coastal Resilience Master Plan be updated. For more information, please visit: https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=221&typ=bil&val=SB551&submit=GO SB188: Authorizes the use of third-party …
H4596: A bill to address ocean acidification and nutrient pollution is moving through the Massachusetts statehouse this week. This bill establishes the Ocean Acidification Council and empowers this Council to coordinate monitoring efforts and to make mitigative recommendations, including prioritizing nature-based solutions to manage stormwater and reduce nutrient pollution. For more information, including bill text and bill status, please visit: …
The National Water Reuse Action Plan (WRAP) celebrated its second anniversary this week by releasing new resources, including a report called Pure Potential: The Case for Stormwater Reuse. This report outlines the benefits of stormwater capture and reuse, discusses lessons learned, and provides a framework to help develop these types of projects. To access Pure Potential: The Case for Stormwater …
HB713: Authorizes political subdivisions to create stormwater utility systems and to adopt stormwater utility fees for planning, construction, operation, and maintenance stormwater management systems. For more information and the current status of this bill, please visit: http://www.legis.la.gov/Legis/BillInfo.aspx?s=22RS&b=HB713&sbi=y
A9445: Authorizes local water and sewerage authorities to charge fees for surface runoff. This bill also requires that 50% of collected revenue to be used for the planning, construction, or maintenance of climate resiliency, stormwater management, or green infrastructure projects. For more information and the current status of this bill, please visit: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2021/A9445
The Urban Institute released a new research report on Tuesday called State Flood Resilience and Adaptation Planning: Challenges and Opportunities. This report is intended to help state officials to establish and implement flood hazard mitigation and adaptation planning. For the full report, please visit: https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/105530/state-flood-resilience-and-adaptation-planning-challenges-and-opportunities.pdf
A recent study out of the University of Florida shows that newer stormwater ponds emit more carbon than they store. The research also found that as ponds age, their sediment and biogeochemical properties may promote carbon storage, rather than emissions. The researchers hope these findings will result in officials taking stormwater ponds into account for policies related to carbon control. …
A new Policy Focus Report from the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy maps the benefits of integrating land planning with water planning. The new report offers four key recommendations: collaborate locally, coordinate regional expertise, build capacity through funding, and use state mandates. The report is available for free download at: https://www.lincolninst.edu/publications/policy-focus-reports/integrating-land-use-water-management For more information, please visit: https://www.waterworld.com/urban-stormwater/press-release/14234710/report-explores-integrating-land-water-planning
California on Wednesday became the first state to adopt a comprehensive strategy for the reduction of microplastics, part of a broad effort to protect the state’s marine environment. The strategy provides a multiyear roadmap that incorporates a two-track approach toward managing California’s microplastic pollution. The first of the two tracks comprise 22 immediate steps that include both “no regrets” actions …
A bill, HB1372, was introduced last week in the Maryland Legislature, which establishes the Green Infrastructure Rebate Program to provide property owners the incentive to invest in stormwater management practices. For more information and the current status of this bill, please visit: https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/hb1372?ys=2022rs
