Economic Incentives for Stormwater Control

Dealing with stormwater runoff in urban areas is a problem that is getting bigger and more expensive. As we cover porous surfaces with impervious structures—commercial buildings, parking lots, roads, and houses—finding places for rainwater and snowmelt to soak in becomes harder. Many landscapers, architects, planners, and others have proposed that the use of "green" localized management practices, such as rain gardens and bio-swales, may function as well as traditional "gray" pipes and basins at reducing the effects of stormwater runoff, and do so in a way that is more attractive in the landscape—and possibly also less expensive. To make stormwater management practices work, however, communities need to know the real costs and policy makers need to give people incentives to adopt the best practices. Economic Incentives for Stormwater Control addresses the true costs and benefits of stormwater management practices (SMPs) and examines the incentives that can be used to encourage their adoption. Highlighting the economic aspects, this practical book offers case studies of the application of various stormwater runoff control policies. It also presents the theory behind the different mechanisms used and illustrates successes and potential obstacles to implementation. The book covers: Efficient use of "green" SMPs Low-impact development (LID) style new construction Green infrastructure Property prices and incentive mechanisms to encourage homeowners to retain stormwater on their property Legal, economic, and hydrological issues associated with various incentive mechanisms In-lieu fees and cap-and-trade incentives Primarily concerned with the sociodemographic and economic aspects of people’s participation in stormwater runoff control, this accessible volume explores opportunities available to municipalities, stormwater managers, and stakeholder groups to enact sustainable, effective stormwater management practices.

Background and Introduction, Hale W. Thurston Costs and Effectiveness of Stormwater Management Practices, Peter T. Weiss, John S. Gulliver, and Andrew J. Erickson Economic Costs, Benefits, and Achievability of Low-Impact Development-Based Stormwater Regulations, John B. Braden and Amy W. Ando Accounting for Uncertainty in Determining Green Infrastructure Cost-Effectiveness, Franco A. Montalto, Christopher T. Behr, and Ziwen Yu The Economics of Green Infrastructure and Low-Impact Development Practices, Ahjond S. Garmestani, Janet Clements, Joanna Pratt, and Lisa Hair The Property-Price Effects of Abating Nutrient Pollutants in Urban Housing Markets, Patrick J. Walsh, J. Walter Milon, and David Scrogin Opportunity Costs of Residential Best Management Practices for Stormwater Runoff Control, Hale W. Thurston At the Intersection of Hydrology, Economics, and Law: Application of Market Mechanisms and Incentives to Reduce Stormwater Runoff, Punam Parikh, Michael A. Taylor, Theresa Hoagland, Hale W. Thurston, and William Shuster In-Lieu Fees: Steps Toward Stormwater Treatment Cost-Effectiveness, Chelsea Hodge and W. Bowman Cutter Cap-and-Trade for Stormwater Management, Haynes C. Goddard Index

Hale W. Thurston is an economist in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s National Risk Management Research Laboratory in Cincinnati, Ohio. He received his PhD in Economics from the University of New Mexico, a Master’s in International Affairs from Ohio University, and a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Bates College. His research currently focuses on nonmarket valuation of natural resources in the policy arena and the use of market incentives to promote low-impact development. He has been especially active in a research study that looks at the use of rain gardens and rain barrels to reduce the impacts of stormwater runoff. Dr. Thurston worked on a reforestation campaign and a beekeeping project in the Peace Corps in the Dominican Republic. He currently resides in Cincinnati with his wife and two fantastic kids.