GRAY TO GREEN

Dear Leanne,

We are pleased to announce that we are releasing the next chapter

of the Emerging Industries Project on Wednesday March 10,
2010.

"Gray to Green: Jumpstarting Private Sector Investment in

Green Stormwater Infrastructure" is extremely timely given the
changes that are underway at the Philadelphia Water Department.
First, PWD has just begun to unveil its new billing structure that will
charge commercial property owners for the property's percentage
of impervious surface, as opposed to water usage. Commercial
property owners will have to convert their properties in order to reduce their bill. Second,
PWD has submitted a proposal to the US Environmental Protection Agency that proposes
to transform 1/3 of all Philadelphia's impervious cover to porous cover, requiring a $1.6
billion investment. That $1.6 billion, however, will be spent on municipal projects; another
55% of projects will have to occur on privately owned properties.

The paper's author, SBN Policy Fellow Sarah E. Francis, provides great background on the
history of water in Philadelphia, outlines the variety of green infrastructure projects,
compares Philadelphia's project to Portland's model, and provides tangible
recommendations for jumpstarting private sector investment and growing businesses that
provide these services regionally.

Please join us on Wednesday, March 10 from 3:00PM to 4:00PM at United Way of

Southeastern Pennsylvania, 1709 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA
19103-1294.

Seating is limited, please RSVP to kate@sbnphiladelphia.org by 5:00PM Monday.

To learn more about the stormwater crisis in many American cities and PWD's proposal to
the EPA, check out the articles discussed below.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Working Group

Kenny Ashe, Progress Investment Association

Laureen Boles, Office of Watersheds, Philadelphia Water Department
Joanne Dahme, Office of Watersheds, Philadelphia Water Department
Brian Glass, PennFuture
Wes Horner, Brandywine Conservancy
Melissa Muroff, Roofscapes, Inc.
Corey Suter, BioNeighbors Sustainable Homes

Interviews & Support

Laureen Boles, Office of Watersheds, Philadelphia Water Department

Gabriel Clark, Remington Group
 Mae Kate Dooley, Dooley's Landscaping & Tree Care Services, LLC
Pat Eiding, Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO
David Faust, Bethlehem Pre-Cast, Inc
Mario Gentile, Shift Space Design LLC
Robert Gillies, AP Construction
Brian Glass, PennFuture
Katherine Gluntz Holmok, URS Corporation
Elliott Gold, Philadelphia Gas Works
Nella Goodwin, Department of Finance, City of Philadelphia
Casey Grabowski, Tetra Tech
James Green, Planning Commission, City of Philadelphia
Chevelle Harrison, Office of Economic Opportunity, City of Philadelphia
Bernadine Hawes, American Cities Foundation
Wes Horner, Brandywine Conservancy
Christine Knapp, PennFuture
Pauline Loughlin, Planning Commission, City of Philadelphia
Katherine Martinelli, PECO
Shawn McCaney, William Penn Foundation
Charlie Miller, Roofscapes, Inc.
Dino Petrongello, AP Construction
Gavin Riggall, Shift Space Design LLC
Diane Schrauth, William Penn Foundation
Kimberly Smith, US Department of Labor
Julie Snell, Philadelphia Green, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
Vien Truong, Green For All

NEWS

As Sewers Fill, Waste Poisons Waterways

Last November the New York Times ran this article about the alarming frequency of
sewer overflows in cities across the nation, specifically highlighting problems in New
York City. "New York's system - like those in hundreds of others cities - combines
rainwater runoff with sewage. Over the last three decades, as thousands of acres of
trees, bushes and other vegetation in New York have been paved over, the land's ability
to absorb rain has declined significantly. When treatment plants are swamped, the
excess spills from 490 overflow pipes throughout the city's five boroughs."

The article provides great insight into the health and financial consequences of our aging
and ineffective stormwater management systems. It also discusses some municipal
responses, including Philadelphia's ground breaking proposal to use all green
infrastructure to accommodate the overflow problems.

Read the full article here.

City's 'All Green' Stormwater Plan Raises Eyebrows at EPA

Following up on their November article, the Times ran this article in December, 2009 that
discusses Philadelphia Water Department's Stormwater Proposal to the Environmental
Protection Agency. The Philadelphia plan is revolutionary because it steps away from the
traditional gray infrastructure that other cities are using to accommodate overflows, and
instead proposing to replace streets, parking lots and sidewalks with water-absorbing
porous pavement, street-edge gardens and trees.

Read the full article here.

A "Green" City Plan to Reduce Storm Water Runoff
Here is a little local coverage of PWD's stormwater proposal by Sandy Bauer at the
Inquirer. This article talks about some of the consequences and benefits to companies
and property owners in Philadelphia as a result of the change in billing structure that will
go into effect in July.

Read the full article here.