CICEET Progress Report for the period 9/01/08 Through 2/15/09

Project Title: Forging the Link Between Research-Based Institutions, Watershed Assistance Groups, and Municipal Land Use Decisions
Principal Investigator(s): Robert Roseen
Project Start Date: October 1, 2008

Tables

Table 1

Tasks to meet objectives
i. Construct the details that outlines the steps and responsible parties for various aspects

ii. Expand upon the existing literature review to form the basis for the single message focused curriculum on the economic and public safety incentives for early adoption of Low Impact Development planning strategies based on watershed health, community resiliency as it relates to land use effects on urban hydrology, and mitigation of stresses to municipal infrastructure from climate change.

iii. Bring together the various partners that have a significant role in the translation and delivery of scientific materials intended for local officials. Key members of this partner network will oversee a focus group of end users to determine the most practical approach to educating these users.

iv. Project partners will develop a curriculum framework will be based upon emerging studies and reports on stormwater management and design, outreach communication strategies for municipalities, climate change and community resiliency, and the economics of LID land use planning strategies and watershed health strategies. Case studies will be identified to Forge the Link between the economic incentives of early adoption and LID and to illustrate costs associated with extreme rainfall events versus LID planning (for example, the upfront cost of LID development vs. the catastrophic cost associated culvert replacement with an extreme event).

Progress on Tasks
i. The project team has built upon the general timeline to provide more specific guidance on the overall project. As seen in Table 1, this table more specifically outlines each objective.

ii. The literature review process has confirmed the vast availability of research on Low Impact Development, Climate Change and Economics of stormwater planning as independent topics. Many localities have begun to quantify the costs associated with implementing State stormwater programs (for example: NPDES Phase 1) and few are beginning to perform cost benefit analysis’ to quantify the benefits of a Low Impact Development approach to managing urban runoff. Seeking information on the sum of these topics has been more challenging due to the novelty of it as a single focused subject. However, several case studies have been identified that will serve well to inform the process and curriculum development these include Keene, NH and Attleboro, MA. The lack of cumulative research on the topic is one of the many reasons the project team felt this project had merit.

iii. The project coordinator has established partners in the following regions: New England (northern and southern) and eastern and western Great Lakes to assist in the collection of survey data from local officials to further guide the research and curriculum development. Within these regions, we have built relationships with the NERRs programs, NEPs, NEMO programs, these include: Maine NEMO, New Hampshire Estuary Partnership, NH Great Bay NERR, Waquiot Bay NERR, Ohio NEMO, Ohio Old Woman Creek NERR, and MN NEMO.

The partners will assist with the coordination of a broad group of local officials, state and local government personnel and NGOs to participate in an online survey to obtain baseline information on knowledge and attitudes towards stormwater, climate change and local economic drivers. A refined group of these individuals will form regional focus groups to further define the messaging and provide a deeper understanding of the barriers to implementation.

iv. This draft framework curriculum will provide the preliminary basis for Forging the Link. This draft framework provides an underlying structure for the curriculum and details the major topics identified in the proposal and outline a draft process agenda. This draft curriculum serves as a starting point and will be further developed and used to facilitate discussion and critique. The final version produced under this project will be developed based on focus group feedback, and detailed collaboration between the project partners. The Draft Curriculum is attached.

Have the results/data gathered during this reporting period changed the project objectives when compared to your original proposal? Please explain.
No, the results/data have not changed the approach or objectives from our original proposal. The rebuttal process permitted the project team to refine the proposal during the review process. This eliminated some of the necessary changes that would otherwise be implemented at this point. However, we have found that seeking additional technical advisors to assist with various research components has been useful.

Dissemination activities during this reporting period (please include the number of participants where applicable).
None during this reporting period.

Difficulties
None to report.

Data Generated to date
None during this reporting period

Project Objectives for Next Reporting Period

Objectives
i. Complete web survey and focus group process
ii. Develop a program that demonstrates techniques to protect coastal water quality and provides assistance towards implementing strategies to mitigate the effects of nonpoint source pollution in coastal watersheds to a wider geographic audience

iii. Begin training of regional personnel in delivery of curriculum

Dissemination Objectives for next reporting period
None expected

Overall Project Timeline Update
Where necessary, update the timeline appropriately.

Expenditures
Within the projected range for the project budget. Expenditures include staff salary and project supplies.