Capitol Hill Ocean Week 2007 EPA’s Role in Protecting Coastal Water Quality June 6, 2007 Economics of Coastal Communities Panel Craig Hooks, Director Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds US Environmental Protection Agency

Capitol Hill Ocean Week 2007 Protecting and Restoring Ocean/Coastal Water Quality and Ecosystems Clean water is essential for healthy coastal communities Economic benefits of ocean and coastal waters and ecosystems are significant Benefits depend on clean water and healthy ecosystems Water quality and living resource degradation in many coastal watersheds is a problem Threats come from various activities, including those far upstream

Capitol Hill Ocean Week 2007 EPA’s role in coastal communities: –Subcommittee on Integrated Management of Ocean Resources (SIMOR) –National Estuary Program –Green infrastructure in coastal communities Today’s Presentation

Capitol Hill Ocean Week 2007 The Ocean Action Plan— Integrating Federal Activity SIMOR—interagency body promoting Federal agency collaboration Work plan targets four priority areas –Regional collaborations –Science/management integration –Enhance resource management to improve use and conservation –Enhance ocean education

Capitol Hill Ocean Week 2007 National Estuary Program

Capitol Hill Ocean Week 2007 NEP National Coastal Condition Report

Capitol Hill Ocean Week 2007 Green Infrastructure in Coastal Communities Pervious Parking Green Roof Cleaner, Cheaper, Smarter –Uses or mimics natural processes –Generates ecological services –Keeps water on-site, out of sewer systems –Reduces combined sewer overflow and stormwater discharges to rivers, streams, estuaries, and coasts –Eliminates significant discharges of sediment, pathogens, and other pollutants

Capitol Hill Ocean Week 2007 Green Infrastructure Helps coastal communities: –control stormwater and combined sewer overflows –comply with permits and the Clean Water Act –protect sources of clean drinking water –keep beaches and shellfish beds open –save money on traditional concrete & steel treatment technologies

Capitol Hill Ocean Week 2007 Green Infrastructure Growing list of coastal communities: − Portland (OR) − Seattle (WA) − Chicago (IL) − Philadelphia (PA) − New York (NY) − Prince George’s Co. (MD) − Emoryville (CA) − Warsaw and Stafford counties (VA) Seattle Green Street Boston City Hall Green Roof

Capitol Hill Ocean Week 2007 Green Highways Partnership –Diverts flow to medians and rights of way –Protects critical habitat –Uses recycled materials –Promotes permeable pavements, and other cutting- edge technologies Green Infrastructure Prince George’s County, MD

Capitol Hill Ocean Week 2007 Thank You For more information: EPA – SIMOR – NEP – http: //