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Date: 11/27/2023
AMHERST — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will be providing technical support to Amherst in order to assist the town in improving stormwater management and to facilitate the advancement of environmental justice for disadvantaged communities within the Pioneer Valley-Connecticut River Watershed.
The town is one of only six communities in Massachusetts to benefit from the agency’s cooperation. The other municipalities — South Hadley, Chicopee, Milford, Somerville and Stoughton — will work with the EPA over the coming year through two collaborative problem-solving projects.
Town Manager Paul Bockelman said, “Stormwater management has become critical in the effort to prepare municipalities for the effects of climate change. This grant is focused on helping environmental justice communities, such as Amherst, expand their stormwater management tool kit.”
In its application, the DPW stated the town was interested in learning about developing more reliable funding mechanisms to increase the number of nature-based solutions and green infrastructure implementations to reduce flooding and improve water quality in the town.
Beth Willson, environmental scientist with the DPW said, “Town staff look forward to learning about nature-based [green] infrastructure options that will increase our resiliency to flooding caused by climate change and improve our ability to treat stormwater to improve the water quality of our rivers and streams.”
According to an EPA statement, efforts will be concentrated on low-cost green infrastructure options that align local needs with the municipalities’ maintenance capabilities and provide additional benefits to communities with environmental justice concerns.
“Communities, especially overburdened ones, should not worry that when a storm hits, flooding could fill their basement. They also should know that storm runoff won’t dump nutrients in their lakes, ponds, and rivers and cause unhealthy algal blooms. Anyone who knows me knows I will take any opportunity to swim in our New England waterways. Every person should have that opportunity to safely play in the rivers and seas that surround us,” said EPA Regional Administrator David W. Cash. “For environmentally overburdened and under-resourced communities, it is especially important to address stormwater runoff challenges to improve water quality.”
DPW Assistant Superintendent Amy Rusiecki expressed her gratitude for the EPA’s funding of the technical assistance project.
“Through this partnership, the town will develop tangible solutions to build climate resilience,” she said.
EPA officials said the expected outcome of the effort is a tailored stormwater management strategy for each municipality, as well as important progress toward improving the water quality impacts of stormwater runoff.
DPW staff will work along EPA representatives, the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission and consulting firm, the Horsley Witten Group during the next year to introduce cost-effective green infrastructure into Amherst’s stormwater management planning.