펜실베니아 환경보호부서Department of Environmental Protection, (DEP)는 최근 지역 수질을 개선하고 도시의 빗물을 제어하는 새 보조금 프로그램을 도입했다고 발표했다. 체사피크만 유역의 도시·자치구 또는 통합도시 소속의 지방자치단체는 프로그램을 신청할 수 있다.

“수로에 도달하는 오염을 방지하기 위해 빗물을 적절하게 관리하는 것은 매우 중요하며, 도시 우수 유출 지역의 수질에 큰 역할을 하고 있다”고 DEP의 장관 John Quigley는 말했다. 이번 프로그램은 궁극적으로 도시빗물관리로 강 하류의 수질을 향상시켜 지방자치가 가능하게 하는 유용한 도구가 될 것”이라고 덧붙였다.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) recently announced that it has opened a new grant program to control urban stormwater and improve local water quality. Municipalities, including cities, boroughs or incorporated towns within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed are eligible to apply.

"Urban stormwater runoff has a big role in local water quality; it's so important to manage that stormwater properly to prevent pollution from reaching our waterways," said DEP Secretary John Quigley. "These grants will serve as a valuable tool to enable local governments to improve their urban stormwater management and, ultimately, their water quality and that of their neighbors downstream."

The grants will fund construction of urban stormwater best management practices to reduce the discharge of nutrients and sediments delivered to local waterways, and ultimately, the Chesapeake Bay. Eligible projects include but are not limited to:

- Green roofs
- Permeable pavement
- Rain gardens/bioretention
- Urban stream restoration
- Urban tree planting
- Wetlands and wet ponds

Projects must be complete within two years of the grant award. Grants will be selected on a competitive basis. The money for these grants is provided by the Environmental Protection Agency, and there is $2,300,000 available for the grant program. The maximum funding amount per applicant is $200,000.

Projects cannot be associated with new development or for new detention basins. Projects must be within urbanized areas according to the latest Decennial Census in which National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit coverage is required for the discharge of stormwater from municipal separate storm sewer systems or for discharges from combined sewer overflows through combined sewer systems.

[출처 = Water World / 2015년 8월 11일]