Grantee Research Project Results
Developing a Small Business in Response to a Stormwater Utility for the New Jersey Meadowlands
EPA Grant Number: SU833552Title: Developing a Small Business in Response to a Stormwater Utility for the New Jersey Meadowlands
Investigators: Obropta, Christopher
Current Investigators: Obropta, Christopher , Silang, Jericho , Kang, Kathleen , Rashkovsky, Michael , Flaherty, Robert
Institution: Rutgers
EPA Project Officer: Page, Angela
Phase: I
Project Period: August 31, 2007 through July 31, 2008
Project Amount: $10,000
RFA: P3 Awards: A National Student Design Competition for Sustainability Focusing on People, Prosperity and the Planet (2007) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development , P3 Challenge Area - Safe and Sustainable Water Resources , P3 Awards , Sustainable and Healthy Communities
Objective:
Due to confidentiality agreements, portions of this abstract have been intentionally left out so that it may be posted on a public website. You may request the full version from the project PI.
In general, a stormwater utility, like energy or wastewater treatment utilities, involves the creation of a dedicated user-fee-based fund to pay for stormwater management. The fund would be used for upgrades of the existing infrastructure, the implementation of best management practices (BMPs) for stormwater quality and quantity, and user credits for installing recommended BMPs on their own property. With the creation of a stormwater utility, there is potential for a small business to provide consulting services to commercial facilities wishing to construct onsite BMPs for user fee credits.
Approach:
The consulting services would consist of an initial audit followed by construction designs and actual implementation. In response to this business concept, the proposed P3 project will involve developing a business plan for the incorporation of a “Stormwater Response Team.” For the purposes of the project, the initial team will be comprised of students from Rutgers who will design BMPs for an example area and determine (if constructed) their potential to improve stormwater conditions and generate user fee credits. The findings from these designs will be included in the overall business plan, which will be a final product of the project. Phase II funding will be used for actual incorporation of the business. The team will use past feasibility studies and existing data in combination with engineering and geographic information system tools.
Supplemental Keywords:
wetland, flooding, nonpoint source pollution, ecology, marsh,Progress and Final Reports:
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.