Credit for Going Green: Transfer of an Expert Elicitation Method to Develop Pollutant Load Reduction Rates for Buffers that Count Toward MS4 Permits - NERRS/NSC(NERRS Science Co...

The Credit for Going Green project team worked with a panel of experts to generate science-based recommendations to calculate the pollutant removal rate of buffers in development, redevelopment, restoration, or other land use change projects. Communities can use this information to receive pollutant removal credits under permits issued by stormwater permit programs. The project has provided municipal staff and boards with the information and tools to better promote buffers as a way to protect water quality, while also enhancing habitat and protecting communities from flooding. This science transfer project was funded by NOAA through the National Estuarine Research Reserve System Science Collaborative to promote the use of science. It did not produce any new data.

The Chesapeake Bay Program developed protocols and methodologies for a process that creates consistent and scientifically-defensible performance estimates for stormwater best management practices. Through reviewing data, literature, and expert testimony on quantifying best management practice performance, the expert panel will produce a consensus-based report of pollutant load reduction performance curves that meet the needs of New Hampshire communities and the standards established by regulators under MS4 permits. The project team will disseminate these findings through a report; targeted communication products; three workshops in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island; and a simple roadmap for the expert elicitation process.

Creating vegetated buffers along rivers and bays is a widely recognized strategy to protect water quality while providing other services that benefit ecosystems and communities. However, until recently there was no way to quantify the ability of restored or constructed buffers to reduce pollution, or for communities to receive credit for using buffers under regulatory permits.

This project will develop consensus-based recommendations for pollutant load reduction performance curves that will help New Hampshire communities use buffers to meet in-stream pollution reduction targets. The work will be done in partnership between the Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, the University of New Hampshire Stormwater Center, ROCA Communications, the Chesapeake Stormwater Network, the Narragansett Bay Reserve, and Waquoit Bay Reserve.

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==Project Lead

James Houle

UNH Stormwater Center

University of New Hampshire

(603) 767-7091

James.Houle@unh.edu

==Project Type

Science Transfer – promoting the use of science

==Project Partners

Chesapeake Stormwater Network

Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve

Narragansett Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve

New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services

Roca Communications+

University of New Hampshire Stormwater Center

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve

The distributor does not assume liability.

None

Cite this dataset when used as a source: NOAA retains the right to analyze, synthesize and publish summaries of the NERRS/NSC data. The NERRS/NSC retains the right to be fully credited for having collected and process the data. Following academic courtesy standards, the NERR site where the data were collected should be contacted and fully acknowledged in any subsequent publications in which any part of the data are used. The data enclosed within this package/transmission are only as accurate as the quality assurance and quality control procedures that are described in the associated metadata reporting statement allow. The user bears all responsibility for its subsequent use/misuse in any further analyses or comparisons. The Federal government does not assume liability to the Recipient or third persons, nor will the Federal government reimburse or indemnify the Recipient for its liability due to any losses resulting in any way from the use of this data. Requested citation format: NOAA National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) Science Collaborative(NSC).