The Alliance and its partners are planning five workshops and a field trip to assist the communities of Blair County, Pennsylvania with incorporating green infrastructure solutions in their stormwater management programs. These workshops are part of the larger Alliance program “Building Green Infrastructure in Blair County, Pennsylvania,” generously funded by the Chesapeake Bay Stewardship

Fund and administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. Through this program, the Alliance is working with 13 communities that make up the Blair County MS4 Work Group, which was formed in 2012 to discuss meeting federal MS4 (Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System) permit requirements.

The first major goal of these comprehensive workshops is to help local governments plan, finance, and implement stormwater management programs. The second major goal is to train local engineers, landscapers, and the construction industry to design, install, and maintain green infrastructure practices. At the completion of this workshop series, the Alliance and partners will hold a design competition where local professionals will prepare concepts and drawings addressing stormwater through green infrastructure on properties in the county. At least $150,000 is available to fund installation of the winning designs.

Natural landscaping that captures and filters stormwater runoff.March 19th: Advancing Regional & Financial Planning for Green Infrastructure Solutions to Stormwater Management
Alliance Partners: American Rivers, Environmental Finance Center, National Association of Regional Councils, Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Water Resources Authority of Chester County, PA
Workshop Agenda- March 19th, 2015
Description: This workshop for elected officials, municipal engineers, and municipal staff is a follow up to our previous workshop on January 20th, 2015. Presenters will delve deeper into the ways Blair County communities can finance their stormwater programs and collaboratively resolve stormwater issues. The Environmental Finance Center will be available to provide individual financial consultations at some time following the workshop (TBA).

April 29th: MS4 Managers Workshop
Alliance Partners: Chesapeake Stormwater Network, PA Department of Environmental Protection
Workshop Agenda- April 29th, 2015
Description: This workshop, aimed at MS4 staff, municipal engineers, and public works/maintenance staff, will cover several requirements of the MS4 permit. Topics include inspection requirements for MS4 permits, IDDE, visual indicators for maintaining stormwater BMPs, and a talk by PA DEP on current and future MS4 regulations. A stream restoration project.June 9th: Bioretention and Stormwater Facility Retrofits
Alliance Partners: Chesapeake Stormwater Network, Center for Watershed Protection
Workshop Agenda- June 9th, 2015
Description: This workshop will teach practitioners and contractors how to design and install new bioretention basins (rain gardens) and retrofits of existing basins.

June 10th: Riparian Buffers and Stream Restoration
Alliance Partners: Chesapeake Stormwater Network, LandStudies Inc.
Workshop Agenda- June 10th, 2015
Description: This workshop will teach practitioners and contractors how to plant and maintain riparian buffers. It will also cover the steps of a successful stream restoration project.

June 11th: Native Plants and BMP Maintenance
Alliance Partners: LandStudies Inc., Pennsylvania Landscape & Nursery Association
Workshop Agenda- June 11th, 2015
Description: This workshop for practitioners and contractors will cover a variety of native Pennsylvania plants that are well suited for stormwater BMPs.June 30th—July 1st:  A Tour of Lancaster County’s Stormwater BMPs
Location: Lancaster County, PA
Alliance Partners: Landstudies Inc.
Lancaster Field Tour Agenda
Description: Blair County engineers, developers, and municipal staff will travel to Lancaster County to visit multiple stormwater BMP sites. LandStudies, Inc. will explain the design and financial components of these sites, as well as the measurable impact they’ve had on managing stormwater. These successful projects will showcase the achievability of BMPs, and provide inspiration for similar projects that can be installed in Blair County.