Natural Resources News
Wednesday, June 26th, 2013
Another deluge of rain wreaked havoc in the Chicago area last night. While some folks took to Facebook and Twitter to complain about the blaring of early-morning emergency alert messages on their smartphones, many residents woke to much more serious problems. Reports of flash floods and water backups began pouring in this morning, and early signs point to yet more property damage resulting from urban flooding.
CNT Water Program Director, Harriet Festing, addresses homeowners at the Gross Gathering, as representatives from MWRD, FEMA/IEMA, and Perma-Seal look on
CNT continues to stand in solidarity with flood victims, and plans to organize more Gross Gathering events that allow property owners to connect with each other, with municipal and state officials, and with organizations that can help mitigate flood damage.
The first Gross Gathering on June 13 drew approximately 100 people to CNT’s offices in Wicker Park. Homeowners shared stories with other flood victims on the “Soap Box,” met with contractors and officials, and discussed community-led solutions. David St. Pierre, Executive Director of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District; Tom LaPorte from the City of Chicago; Ron Davis from FEMA; and Sara Echols from the American Red Cross also addressed the gathering. Government agencies, nonprofits and private sector contractors were represented with trade stands and displays.
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Wednesday, June 5th, 2013
Mayors, municipal leaders, and stormwater experts joined USEPA Acting Assistant Administrator for Water, Nancy Stoner at a convening hosted by CNT
USEPA Acting Assistant Administrator for Water, Nancy Stoner, joined mayors and municipal leaders from around the country at a convening hosted by the Center for Neighborhood Technology and sponsored by the Mayors Innovation Project (MIP). The meeting, held at CNT’s offices in Chicago on May 29, focused on USEPA’s new stormwater regulations and potential local-level impacts.
Participating in the discussion were Mayor Paul Soglin of Madison, WI, Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt of Chapel Hill, NC, and Commissioner Debra Shore of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago. Others included representatives from the cities of Bridgeport, CT, Grand Rapids, MI, Nashville, TN, and Tucson, AZ, and Chicago and Oak Park, IL.
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Monday, May 20th, 2013
The Illinois General Assembly passed two bills last week designed to increase the use of green infrastructure in stormwater management practices, which will provide multiple benefits to Illinois communities as we continue to experience heavy rainstorms.
Green infrastructure helps to reduce flooding by increasing the natural absorption of stormwater into the ground and uptake by plants. In addition, green infrastructure practices and projects can capture water for use in irrigation, reduce water pollution in our lakes and streams, save energy and money in our stormwater management systems, improve air quality, and increase land values by beautifying our communities.
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Posted in Natural Resources, Policy | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, May 14th, 2013
First-of-its-kind Analysis Synthesizes Insurance Claims, Property Owner Reports, and Geography of Flooding in an Urban Environment
CHICAGO (May 14, 2013)—When it comes to flooding in cities, it makes little difference whether a property is located within a floodplain or not—damage happens, happens often, and can inflict significant costs. This stark lack of correlation between property damage claims and recognized floodplains is among the key findings of The Prevalence and Cost of Urban Flooding, a report released today by the Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT).
The report, the first of its kind to collectively analyze flood damage claims and sewer- and drain-backup claims data from multiple providers of insurance and other financial assistance, is part of a first phase of research at CNT on the prevalence and cost of flooding to property owners—such as homes and businesses—in urban and suburban areas. Urban flooding is caused by too much rain overwhelming drainage systems and waterways, and making its way into basements, backyards, and streets.
CNT researchers took the unprecedented step of combining insurance claims payout data for property damage in Cook County, IL (between 2007–2011, aggregated by ZIP code), with analysis of 115 responses to an online survey of property owners in Cook County that experienced property flooding in the last five years.
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Thursday, April 25th, 2013
After the weeks of wet weather we’ve just experienced in Chicago, we can’t help but empathize with the thousands of property owners whose soggy carpets have piled up and whose spirits remain dampened, here and in other parts of the country. For those who wonder if their basement flooding miseries will ever end, here are CNT’s top three tips for actions you and your community can take immediately. Read more »
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Tuesday, April 16th, 2013
Flickr image: NASA Goddard Photo and Video
CNT is part of a collaborative team working to assist Illinois’ Lake Michigan water supply utilities improve water loss control. The year-long project aims to identify the obstacles, best practices, and potential solutions for managing water loss by Lake Michigan public water suppliers.
Unchecked water loss within water supply systems is of public concern: it wastes money, hinders the economy, and risks long-term water scarcity. Water loss from crumbling infrastructure, faulty metering, and flat-out theft leads to lost revenue for utilities and higher rates from consumers. With rates going up and infrastructure integrity going down, we need to rethink our investments in water resources, and from all sides: rate payers, utilities, and municipalities.
We need to fix the leaks. Read more »
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Tuesday, April 16th, 2013
CHICAGO (April 16, 2013) – As the spring gardening season kicks off, the Chicago Sustainable Backyards Program (Sustainable Backyards), a City of Chicago initiative managed by the Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT), announces the launch of an exciting new and convenient website for the program: www.sustainablebackyards.org. The new site centralizes resources that will help Chicagoans create environmentally beneficial landscapes throughout the city.
The Chicago Sustainable Backyards Program offers City of Chicago residents information and rebates of up to 50% on purchases of sustainable backyard improvements, including:
- TREES (up to $100 back)
- NATIVE PLANTS (up to $60 back)
- COMPOST BINS (up to $50 back)
- RAIN BARRELS (up to $40 back)
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Friday, February 22nd, 2013
Does your home or business suffer from a wet basement or flooded backyard? You’re not alone! Whether or live in Cook County IL, 
or somewhere else in the nation, we want to hear your story. We’re aiming to get 200 stories, along with data on the cost and stress it caused you, to help make the case for action at state and national level. Your information on costs of stormwater damage in your basement and backyard will also be used to help us design the nation’s first wet weather ‘Wetrofit’ service.
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Monday, February 11th, 2013
CNT’s pioneering program, ‘Smart Water for Smart Regions’ and its practical focus on designing strategies to help communities alleviate costly water leakages and property damage from flooding, is attracting national attention. Our program staff have been appointed to national and state committees, and invited to speak at national events about this initiative. Read more »
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Tuesday, February 5th, 2013
“Photo Credit: NASA Goddard Photo and Video/Flickr Creative Commons”
The insurance company, State Farm, has renewed its support for CNT’s “Smart Water for Smart Regions” initiative.
State Farm was a core supporter of the initiative in 2012, along with the Joyce Foundation and Surdna Foundation. Funding is being used to help communities develop strategies to alleviate costly water leakages, as well as property damage from flooding. Organizational supporters include the American Water Works Association, Water Environment Federation, Alliance for Water Efficiency, and the Great Lakes Commission.
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