“STOPS Runoff Act of 2011” introduced in United States Senate
Capture Rain Where It Falls
On May 6, Senator Cardin (D-Md.) introduced the STOPS Runoff Act of 2011. American Rivers, the nation’s leading voice for clean water and healthy rivers, has applauded Senator Cardin for taking a stand to address the pervasive problem of polluted runoff from federally funded highways and roads.
“Incorporating innovative strategies that capture and treat rainwater where it falls is a cost-effective way to reduce polluted runoff and flooding and extend the lifespan of existing sewer and treatment plants,” stated Katherine Baer, senior director of the clean water program at American Rivers.
Application to Highways and Roads
“Senator Cardin’s bill is based on applying a standard that is already required for the construction of federal buildings – which requires maintaining a site as natural as 
possible to keep water from leaving the site – to federally funded highway and road projects,” writes Stacey Detwiler in an article published on the American Rivers website.
“Essentially, this means that projects must include technologies to infiltrate and manage stormwater onsite so that runoff pollution to local streams, rivers, and drinking water supplies doesn’t increase after construction.”
One of the best ways to meet a predevelopment hydrology standard is through green infrastructure solutions. From rain gardens to vegetated swales, these approaches restore, replicate, and protect the natural hydrology of the landscape by infiltrating stormwater where it falls.
To Learn More:
To read the complete article by Stacey Detwiler, click on Protecting Our Clean Water with the STOPS Runoff Act.
To read an earlier article by Stacey Detwiler posted in July 2010, click on The STOPS Runoff Act: Treating Stormwater Where it Falls
Posted May 2011