PWD AND PIDC LAUNCH SECOND ROUND OF STORMWATER MANAGEMENT INCENTIVES PROGRAM (SMIP) GRANT

by PIDCphila
December 6, 2012

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Contact: Laura Copeland, 215-685-4902

For Immediate Release: November 30, 2012

PWD and PIDC Announce $5 Million in Grants to Promote Green Stormwater Management Practices in Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA: The Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) and the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC) launched the second round of the Stormwater Management Incentives Program (SMIP) Grant on Monday, December 3, 2012.

Launched in January 2012, the Stormwater Management Incentives Program (SMIP) grant program is designed to be a catalyst for transforming large, commercial impervious properties that generate high volumes of stormwater runoff and burden the city’s sewer system and waterways, into properties that build and maintain green stormwater management practices. These practices include rain gardens, vegetated infiltration basins, porous asphalt, and green roofs

In June 2012, PWD and the PIDC awarded $3.2 million in grants to promote green stormwater management practices in a highly competitive selection process, resulting in the creation of 65.5 green acres. One green acre will manage at least the first inch of rainfall over an acre that drains to a common stormwater management practice.

Projects are evaluated on a variety of criteria with cost-effective green acres bearing the highest percentage of points in addition to offering innovative and inspiring green stormwater management solutions that can demonstrate similar opportunities on other public and private sites.

“This grant program is a win-win for the Water Department and for our business customers who have been impacted by an increase in stormwater fees resulting from our parcel based fee for stormwater,” stated Water Commissioner Howard Neukrug. “By working with customers who can manage stormwater from many acres of hard surfaces – and ideally public runoff from streets – we can transform pockets of our combined sewer areas into green acres in a cost effective way. This is the best example of a public/private partnership.”

The SMIP grant is an important component of PWD’s Green City, Clean Waters Plan and includes an ambitious goal to covert 9,500 impervious areas to “green acres” that capture and manage the first one inch of stormwater runoff to achieve beautiful, fishable, clean and healthy rivers and streams. The grant will also allow businesses, institutions and other non-residential customers to reduce their stormwater rates by providing funding for the design and implementation of these green infrastructure projects and to join the City of Philadelphia in its quest to be the greenest city in the nation by 2015.

“PIDC supports the Water Department’s progressive stormwater management initiatives which use green strategies to reduce stormwater runoff,” stated John Grady, President of PIDC. “Through the SMIP grant program, PIDC is excited to partner with PWD to help local business owners mitigate the economic impact of the new stormwater initiatives while also increasing the City’s green space.”

Applications for the next SMIP round are due February 1, 2013 by noon but may be submitted any time before the deadline.  Applicants will be notified no later than July 1, 2013 if they will be awarded grant funding.

For information about the grant and loan programs and the application, customers can go to the SMIP link on PWD’s website: http://www.phillywatersheds.org/what_were_doing/SMIP_Grant

To download the Stormwater Management Incentives Program Grant application, please visit: http://www.pidc-pa.org/development-and-contract-opportunties/rfp-rfq-opportunities

 

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