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Oregon: Portland
Green Infrastructure Type: Green Municipalities
Types of Green Infrastructure Used: Green Roofs, Rain Gardens, Porous Pavements, Vegetated Swales & Landscaping, Downspout Disconnection, and Rain Barrels.
Summary:
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Vegetated curb extensions are used throughout
Portland to decrease stormwater runoff. |
Description:
For several decades, Portland has been a leader in the green infrastructure movement, and has actively promoted funding and education for innovative stormwater management. As a result, the city has an array of green infrastructure projects and programs designed to alleviate a number of problems related to CSO events. After making investments to expand the capacity of its overloaded sewer system, the city has pursued several strategies that emphasize decentralized stormwater management. The primary impetus behind Portland’s implementation of green infrastructure has come from a series a policy decisions that promote sustainable development. For example, city building codes now require on-site stormwater management for all new construction projects, and the Portland stormwater manual encourages the use of green infrastructure techniques to achieve this requirement. Similarly, all new municipal buildings are required to have a green roof that covers at least 70% of the roof area, and the city is now offering a zoning bonus (which allows for additional square footage) to privately-owned buildings that feature green roofs. The city has also developed a program that pays homeowners $53 for every downspout they disconnect from the sewer system. Over 45,000 households participate in the program, allowing the infiltration of an estimated 1 billion gallons of water annually. Given this success, plans are in place to offer a stormwater fee discount of up to 35% for properties with on-site stormwater management. With these incentives and policies in place, green infrastructure applications will almost certainly become more widespread throughout the city.
For more information, visit: Portland Bureau of Environmental Services  .
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