Green Infrastructure in Action: Examples, Lessons Learned, and Strategies for the Future
Municipal wastewater and stormwater utilities are increasingly incorporating green infrastructure (GI) into their wet-weather management plans. GI can be a cost-effective alternative for communities in lieu of traditional gray infrastructure, and also can provide significant community benefits such as redevelopment and green space creation. Regulators support its use, but green concepts are relatively new and questions remain about how GI will be monitored, assessed, and credited and whether, ultimately, it will be effective. On December 16, 2014, the Environmental Law Institute (ELI) hosted a panel that focused on lessons learned with regard to GI implementation, the evaluation and maintenance of green projects following completion, and the growing use of GI following enforcement actions. The panel discussed the pros and cons of GI, whether GI is the best solution for communities, and GI alternatives. Here, we present a transcript of the event, which has been edited for style, clarity, and space considerations.