Go for the Green to Save the Blue: Using Green Infrastructure to Protect Your Community's Water Quality

Go for the Green to Save the Blue: Using Green Infrastructure to Protect Your Community's Water Quality

Date: Monday, April 26, 2010
Time: 8:00 am -  5:00 pm
Location: WMU, Fetzer Center, Kalamazoo, MI
Cost:  $15.00

For an agenda (with topics and speakers) and to register visit www.swmpc.org/gi_workshop.asp.

Protecting water quality and being green is a top concern of citizens and consumers. Are you doing enough in your community or development to protect water quality? At this full day workshop, you will have the opportunity for discussions with national experts from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and with local professionals who are using a green infrastructure approach. Jenny Molloy, a former MDEQ employee, who now works for the US EPA, will be a featured speaker at this workshop. Jenny is excited to come back to Michigan and share her expertise with us. 
 
You will also learn about cutting edge techniques, receive resources and hear about local examples which will help you implement a green infrastructure approach in your development project, municipality or watershed.

Specifically, you will learn how to:

• use natural systems, or engineered systems that mimic natural systems, to treat polluted runoff and protect streams, in-land lakes and Lake Michigan.
• design and incorporate green infrastructure practices into new developments and re-development projects to manage wet weather events.
• save on construction costs while also protecting our precious water resources.
• meet MS4 permit compliance requirements by implementing green infrastructure practices.
• deal with the operation and maintenance of green infrastructure.
• remove barriers in your local ordinance to allow developers to use green infrastructure.
• provide incentives to developers to encourage the use of green infrastructure practices in your community.

Who should attend?
Municipal Staff,  Government Officials,  Local & County Planning Commissioners,  Drain Commissioners,  Municipal Planners,  Developers & Builders,  Engineering & Planning Firms,  Storm Water Managers,  Watershed Groups,  Lake Associations

Workshop Partners:  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Freshwater Future, Western Michigan University, Southwest Michigan Planning Commission, Friends of the St. Joe River, Kalamazoo River Watershed Council, Two Rivers Coalition