Pittsburgh Ranks in Top 'Green' Cities
Report says it still has a long way to go
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
21 November 2011
By Joe Smydo
Despite chronic flooding and sewage discharges into the rivers,
Pittsburgh has received a pat on the back from a national group
that tracks cities' use of "green infrastructure" to mitigate
water-related problems.
Pittsburgh was one of 14 cities and metropolitan areas touted
Wednesday in Rooftops to Rivers II, a new report by the nonprofit
National Resources Defense Council on efforts to reduce sewage and
stormwater runoff.
While Pittsburgh wasn't rated as highly as most of the other
cities in the report, the council said all 14 have taken steps
that should be emulated by municipalities across the country and
encouraged by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
"Each of the cities profiled in Rooftops to Rivers II is a leader
in green infrastructure investment," said the report, accessible
at www.nrdc.org/rooftops.
Among other initiatives, Pittsburgh was lauded for the greening of
vacant lots, tree planting, restrictions on certain development
projects and efforts to involve the public in green infrastructure
projects.
The compliment may come as a surprise to residents who are well
aware of the region's problems with sewage and stormwater
problems, including sewage overflows into the rivers.
"We do have some great initiatives going on here ... We just have
a long way to go," said John Schombert, executive director of 3
Rivers Wet Weather, a group that helps municipalities with water
management.
Nationwide, the council said, 10 trillion gallons of untreated
sewage and stormwater pollute waterways and beaches each year. It
says green infrastructure -- including green roofs, trees,
permeable pavement and rain gardens -- not only help prevent
runoff but are less expensive alternatives to pipes and other
"gray" infrastructure traditionally used in the proper disposal of
sewage and stormwater.
On the council's Emerald City Rating System, Philadelphia was the
only city that met all six benchmarks -- long-term green planning,
dedicated funding for green infrastructure, incentives for
property owners, guidance on green infrastructure, restrictions
regarding water retention, and restrictions on impervious surfaces
at developments.
Milwaukee; New York City; Portland, Ore.; Syracuse, N.Y.; and
Washington, D.C., each met five of the
benchmarks. Aurora, Ill., and Toronto, Canada, met four. Chicago;
Kansas City, Mo.; Nashville, Tenn.; and
Seattle met three. And Pittsburgh and Michigan's Rouge River
Watershed met one.
Singled out for praise were the Green Up Pittsburgh program, which
is Mayor Luke Ravenstahl's initiative to turn vacant lots into
green space, and an ordinance, sponsored by Councilman Bill
Peduto, that requires developers receiving public subsidies to
control stormwater runoff.
"Yet the city has only a limited array of incentive programs or
guidance available to the public or developers for incorporating
green infrastructure, and does not have a dedicated funding source
for green infrastructure," the report said. "Pittsburgh's work to
promote green building practices and remove hurdles to green
infrastructure [for instance, by changing city codes to allow for
downspout disconnections] have fared well. But the city could
benefit from a more integrated approach to incorporate green
infrastructure in its long-term planning."
The report also notes continuing sewage overflows into the rivers,
a problem that the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority, Pittsburgh
and dozens of other municipalities are under orders to correct.
Pittsburgh's problems have received heightened attention because
of repeated flooding and the deaths of four people Aug. 19 in a
flash flood.
Joe Smydo: jsmydo@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1548.