Integrating green infrastructure into “business as usual” public works projects is one of the most efficient ways for cities, states, and regions to achieve wide-scale, cost-effective implementation. This webcast shares lessons learned from municipal and county officials experienced in coordinating green infrastructure applications with scheduled street maintenance, park improvements, and projects on public sites.

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Session 1—Green Is the New Color for Stormwater

Charlotte Katzenmoyer, Director of Public Works, City of Lancaster, PA

This presentation can assist municipal, city, and county governments in developing and implementing a green infrastructure plan. It specifically addresses the multiple challenges that some communities face, including combined sewer overflows and limited available land on which to implement water quality best management practices.

Lancaster’s experience demonstrates that green infrastructure strategies can strengthen a city’s economy and improve health and quality of life for its residents by linking clean water solutions to community improvements. Cities can make the most of their investment in complying with overlapping environmental regulations while achieving lower costs and higher benefits from their infrastructure investment. As part of their green infrastructure program, communities can make streetscape improvements, rebuild outdated city parks, and repair public parking lots, removing millions of gallons of runoff from combined sewer systems while making significant capital improvements that otherwise would go unfunded. Learn more about Lancaster’s green infrastructure plan at the city's Save it! website Exit.

See: EPA’s Economic Benefits of Green Infrastructure: A Case Study of Lancaster, PA.

Session 2—A Balanced Approach To Stormwater Management

Matthew Millea, Deputy County Executive for Physical Services, Onondaga County, NY

Save the Rain is Onondaga County’s comprehensive stormwater management plan to reduce pollution to Onondaga Lake and its tributaries, largely by using green infrastructure. County Executive Joanne Mahoney leads the Save the Rain team of county employees, consultants, volunteers, and educators. To date, the county has initiated more than 175 distinct green infrastructure projects on public and private property. Onondaga County is a national model for implementing a balanced approach to stormwater management—complementing smart gray investments with innovative green infrastructure solutions.

Learn more about the program at the Onondaga County’s Save the Rain website Exit.

Speakers

Charlotte Katzenmoyer has served as the director of public works for the city of Lancaster since May 2001. She graduated from the University of Akron with a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering and from Lehigh University with a master of science degree in environmental engineering. She is responsible for the bureaus that serve 10 municipalities and 140,000 residents with an annual budget of $47 million and capital budget of $50 million. She has published numerous papers on and introduced communities across the nation to the city’s innovative green infrastructure plan.

Matthew J. Millea was appointed deputy county executive for physical services by Onondaga County Executive Joanne Mahoney in June 2010. Matt oversees the operations of nine county departments and assists the county executive in developing and implementing the annual county budget. He also has been charged with managing the county's Save the Rain effort—a multimillion-dollar public works program using both gray and green infrastructure approaches to mitigate sewer overflows into Onondaga Lake.